The New Student
by CelestialLoverxxx
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia, has recently moved to Magnolia Town. She joins her new high school and makes lots of friends and a few enemies. Join her, as she tries to fit in, has her own adventures, plays pranks and also...falls in love.
1. Chapter 1- Magnolia

**Chapter One- Magnolia**

I stared pensively out of the window at my new hometown- Magnolia, a town map clutched in my hand. It was raining outside, but I could see the shops and houses on the streets through the drizzle. It was nearly evening and the shop lights had been lit.

I sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. Magnolia did not seem like a bad place, but it felt strange. I would miss my friends and cozy little house back at Azure Town.

My mother used to work in a café, but it closed down due to financial problems. But after months she finally received a job offer here in Magnolia, so we decided to move. It's not like we had a choice. After my father left us, we hardly had any money left.

I had really tried to go along with all this. But I couldn't stop my face from sulking at the thought of a new high school and a new home. It was lucky that one of our relatives gave us their old house, otherwise we wouldn't have a place to stay.

After an hour or so, the car stopped beside a small two-story house. It looked clean and comfortable; the house was coloured cream and had a red roof. It was surrounded by a neat garden.

We stepped out of the car with an umbrella and our luggage, and my mother paid the driver. He thanked her and drove away. The car belonged to the relatives who gave us the house; they had been generous enough to let us borrow it and the driver for one day.

I turned around and made my way towards the house. My mother dug in her pocket for the key, found it, and opened the door. The house looked just as comfortable as from outside. I went up the wooden stairs and found two opposite rooms on either side of the corridor.

My mother came up behind me and said, "Lucy, could you be a little less impatient?"

I laughed. "Sorry. By the way, I claim the right room."

Layla Heartfilia nodded. "Alright. Now go unpack your suitcase. I'm going down to the kitchen.

I dragged my suitcase up the stairs and into my new room.

It was simple- a blue floor-carpet, a bed with a window beside it, some wooden racks which I guessed I could keep my books on, a closet and a desk. I quickly stuffed my clothes into the closet, dumped my books on the racks, and kept the only gift I ever received from my father on the desk. It was a small music-player. Seeing my love for music, my father had given it to me as a present on my sixteenth birthday.

I sat down on the bed and wondered what to do. I would start my new school- Crosswell High School-the next day, but I had no idea where to get the needed books from, because I was starting in the middle of the term, so the book distribution must be over. Perhaps someone would be kind enough and give a few copies.

I was getting bored, and I wanted to look around a bit too. I wouldn't really like it if I got lost on my way back home. I peeked out of the window and saw that it was barely drizzling now. So I went down where I found my mother trying to open a larder door.

"Mom, can I look around the place a bit? I won't go far."

"Yes, go. But come back before nine." She grunted still tugging at the larder door.

I nodded and went out, kicking the front door shut.

I walked around aimlessly on the streets. The area was pretty. There was the faint smell of fresh baked bread and cakes coming from a bakery, there were small clothes shops with beautiful dresses, and tea cafes which had twinkling yellow lights. The rain had washed the streets which were now glistening with water and reflecting the lights. I noticed a park opposite a house, and I could hear music coming from somewhere there. When I edged towards the sound, I saw group of children sitting around an old man who was playing the guitar. The children were clapping and singing along with the tunes.

I continued walking and came across a few houses, a library, and then the highway. I would have to cross the main street to go to my school and other public areas according to the map I had been studying earlier in the car. But I had seen my small neighbourhood and it was time to head back. I started walking back to my house, humming the melody the old man had been playing.

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**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review everyone reading this, it encourages me to write more.:) Thank you. I will update as soon as possible.**


	2. Chapter 2- Friends and Enemies

**A huge thank you to my reviewer, favouriters and followers so far- 88KazzydaughterofDeathTheKid88, SimplyIsabelleS, lucyglitter11,and xxxBebeBiatchxxX. Here is the second chapter.**

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**Chapter Two- Friends and Enemies**

I rushed out of my house, my bag slung over one shoulder and a piece of toast in my mouth. How could I late on the first day of school?

I started running past the shops, the park, and the library, and crossed the main street. Once I was on the other side, I managed to swallow the bread and started running again. After a few minutes I found myself standing in front of a huge white building that had the words CROSSWELL HIGH SCHOOL written on a board attached to the building.

I rushed inside and after hurriedly checking the school map, went inside my classroom. I had English in the first period which was good since it was my strong subject.

I walked inside the classroom and was greeted by a notebook that came flying across the room right on my face. I clutched the notebook and threw it in the direction it came from— towards a pink-haired boy. A group of boys were all talking at the top of their voices, while a few of them were blushing and pointing at me.

"Hi, you're the new student, aren't you?" a chirpy voice asked. I turned to my left and saw a petite blue-haired girl. "I'm Levy McGarden." She introduced herself, her hand stretching out.

I smiled and shook her hand. "Hey Levy. I'm Lucy Heartfilia."

"Come on, meet some of my friends. They're over there." Levy said excitedly pulling me by the arm towards a small group of girls.

It seemed that the boys and girls had somewhat different groups. The classroom was big and had a lot of sunlight, but it was total chaos. I wondered when the teacher would come. I thought I was late.

Levy's friends noticed me and came forward.

"I'm Erza! Welcome to Crosswell!" a red-haired girl declared.

"I'm Mirajane. Pleased to meet you!" a white-haired girl said softly.

"Juvia's name is Juvia." Another blue-haired girl said.

All of Levy's friends introduced themselves before I could get a word out. I told them my name and then looked at the other blue-haired girl, Juvia, who had been speaking in third person. "Hey, why do you speak in third-person?" I asked her.

Juvia's face wore a mask of confusion and bewilderment as if she had no idea what I was talking about. Her brows still furrowed deep in thought she answered me. "That is how Juvia has always spoken. Maybe it runs in Juvia's family."

I tried not to laugh at Juvia's facial expression and her logic, and turned to talk to Erza and Levy when I noticed Mirajane sitting on one of the desks; staring intently at the boys, and then back to me. She continued to do that, and occasionally her eyes would sparkle.

After a few minutes I poked her on the shoulder and said. "Okay I'll bite. What are you doing?"

Mirajane smiled in a not so innocent manner. "Well, Lucy, I'm deciding who you should have as a boyfriend! Already half the boys here are drooling over you in case you didn't notice, so I'm just trying to pair you up properly."

I was sure my face turned as red as Erza's hair at Mira's words. "Whatever. Stop trying to do that Mira." I muttered before turning away.

"Hey Lucy, tell us more about yourself! Why did you come to Magnolia?" Levy asked.

"Well I used to live in Azure Town…" I continued with my history and why I had moved.

After a long time the teacher finally entered the classroom. Everyone scrambled back to their places and I took the only empty seat between Levy to my left and a raven-haired boy to my right. He turned to look at me and smiled. "Hey, I'm Gray Fullbuster."

I nodded. "Lucy Heartfilia."

I had been hoping the teacher would not embarrass me by telling me to introduce myself in front of the class, but of course the inevitable happened. Honestly, the teacher looked kind of drunk to me. When called me up to the front, I sighed and stumbled my way there, and looked at the class.

"Er, my name is Lucy Heartfilia. I, uh, arrived in Magnolia yesterday from Azure Town. And, uh, I hope I can fit in here." And with that pathetically lame and abrupt speech I hurried back to my desk, picked up my notebook and buried my face in it.

I could hear soft laughter from my right, and I peeked up to see Gray smiling at me. "Except that incredible embarrassment, what exactly is funny about me?" I asked bluntly.

"You looked like you were going to die up there! Chill, Gildarts is the only weird teacher around who demands introductions from new students." Gray explained.

I shrugged, not knowing what to say.

Then the teacher, Gildarts, picked up his much abused and tattered book, and opened to a page.

"We'll be doing Robert Frost today. Open to page fifty-three please. Luna, do you have a book?"

I was just asking Levy where I could get the book, when all heads turned towards me.

"What did I do?" I squeaked out.

Gildarts sighed, impatient. "Nothing Luna. I asked if you have a book or not."

I realized he had got my name wrong, that's why I hadn't bothered to pay attention to his question.

"Uh, it's Lucy sir. And no, I do not have a book." I said. Wasn't it obvious?

"Well then share with Greg." Gildarts said vaguely and dismissively.

Who was Greg? Gray nudged me. "I happen to be Greg, madam. Now should we read or what?"

Oh, the darn teacher got Gray's name wrong too. I nodded. "Yeah, okay."

Gray joined our desks together and Gildarts droned on about Frost and read some of the poems aloud. I got bored because I had already studied all this back at my old school, and Gray looked like he hated English. So after fifteen minutes I poked him with my pencil and suggested, "Wanna play Hangman? I'm bored."

Gray grinned and soon after we started to scribble in a corner of the page.

While we were playing, I couldn't help but notice how cute Gray looked when his face was scrunched up in concentration. But I immediately banished that weird thought moments after it came to my mind.

And this class was probably the best English class I ever had.

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After the dreaded Math and Physics class, both of which had Gray in it, break arrived. Neither of the classes involved books that day, so all I had to do was stare at the blackboard and listen to the teachers.

Levy, Erza, Juvia, Mirajane and me went into the cafeteria. It was spacious and sunny, and all of us went and sat at a table near the huge glass window through which we could see the school grounds. The window was like a sliding glass door, only we could not pass through it, and it stretched from the ceiling to the ground.

Erza went up to get food for all of us, while Mira edged closer to me, wiggled her eyebrows and said, "So, Lucy? How was English class?"

Why did Mira make a big deal out of everything? "Boring." I replied.

"I saw you and Gray—" "Enough Mira! I had to share a book with him, that's all." I cut her off annoyed. Mira was sweet but hugely annoying at the same time.

The book thing reminded me of something. "Speaking of which," I turned to Levy. "Could you give me a few copies of all the needed books?" Levy agreed. "Yeah, I'll give them to you tomorrow."

Erza came back with the food. I got some sort of pasta with cream. But I didn't care what it was; I was hungry, so I just wolfed it all down. From what I heard from my new friends, pasta was by far the safest food item in the cafeteria except oatmeal cookies which I hated.

As we were all talking, a tall, dark-skinned girl with sleek black hair came up to our table. She looked like a cheerleader, and two other extremely pretty girls were flanking her on either side. "Heartfilia, correct?" the dark girl said; her voice unfriendly. That attitude ticked me off.

"Yeah," I replied coldly. "Who are you all? The Three Musketeers?"

Juvia and Erza snorted into their sodas.

"I'm Mia. Anyway, I wouldn't come to the geek's table unless our head cheerleader asked us to." The dark girl said impassively. So I was right, she was a cheerleader.

"She wants you to join the squad. But we think you're…not really the type, so would you go and decline her offer?"

I hated cheerleading. It made me feel like a half-naked clown jumping around. But I decided to keep that to myself.

"Why can't you do that?" I asked.

"She already suspects that I hate you. She'll think I convinced you not to." Wasn't it just as bad if she MADE me go and talk to the head cheerleader? And her reply was strange. How could she hate me? I just came to the school!

"Whatever." I muttered. Mia and her slaves were about to walk away when she suddenly turned and ducked down to my ear. "Oh and Heartfilia? Stay away from Fullbuster." she whispered menacingly.

With that they walked, or more like marched away.

I looked at my friends and we all started to laugh. "Well, Lucy, I think you have some challenge." Levy said between giggles.

I smirked. "Yeah, I think so too. By the way, why are those girls like that?"

"They are just stuck up snobs. They're jealous of all the attention you're getting because you're new. Not many girls are invited to the squad on their first day you know." Erza explained. "Though the head cheerleader, Alice, is different. She's polite."

I nodded and continued to eat my lunch. The Three Musketeers could be as jealous as they wanted. Who said I was staying away from Gray?

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**Sorry for the late update! I hope you enjoyed this. Please review guys. **


	3. Chapter 3- Letters and Paint

**Massive thank you to all my reviewers, followers and favouriters for making my day- Grayluisawesome, EllieBloodStain, Moka Heartfilia, Shorty333 and Umi Ryuuzaki Fullbuster.**

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**Chapter Three- Letters and Paint**

I came out of my house and saw Levy waiting outside, playing with a stray kitten. She heard my footsteps and looked up. "You sure took your time Luce!" she commented standing up with the kitten in her arms.

I grinned at the nickname. "Oh, sorry. And, when did I give you my address again?" I added.

"Yesterday, after school." Levy replied, poking the kitten's cheeks. "Now come on, or we'll be late."

"We have a lot of time, don't worry." I said and started to walk but I saw that Levy was still carrying the kitten.

"So, you want to keep the kitten in your school bag while we study Levy?" I asked innocently.

"Oh." Levy pouted. She grudgingly put the kitten down, gave it a last pat and started to walk with me.

"Hey, did you get the copies?" I asked.

"Sure I did."

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We went inside the school building and met up with Erza, Juvia and Mirajane. I took my new books from Levy and went to my locker to put the ones I didn't need in. As I was about to close it, I saw a small red envelope inside. Curiously, I opened it and started to read. My eyes widened and I beckoned to Levy.

"What's up?"

"Read this," I giggled. "It's a love-letter!"

"Oh man, I thought the love-letter days were over! Why can't the boys just pluck up their courage and ask us out directly?"

I shrugged. The letter didn't state who it was, but at the end of all the cheesy compliments made about me, the boy had asked me out.

"Idiot." Levy muttered. "How do we know who this boy is?"

"Well, he does drop in some hints, like his hair is brown."

"Oh yeah, that helps massively."

"I really don't get it. I just came here, how can people send me love-letters when they hardly know me?" I mused. This was flattering but strange.

Levy slapped me on the back, snapping me out of my thoughts, and in a very solemn tone said, "That is why us stunningly pretty girls have a hard life, my dear."

I rolled my eyes.

"Juvia thinks we should consider all the boys who can send love-letters to Lucy." Juvia and Erza had suddenly appeared behind us. At hearing Juvia's voice suddenly, I jumped back a foot in a split-second surprise reaction.

"When did you guys come here?" I spluttered. Honestly, who was normal around here?

"We were here all along. Now show us the letter." Erza said vaguely.

Levy tossed it to her. I noticed Mirajane was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Mira?" I asked. To receive a love-letter in front of Mira and then not find the famous match-maker around, was probably not the best idea for me, as now I was her target.

Juvia shrugged. "Probably running around the school finding brown-haired boys and checking them off her 'Boyfriends for Lucy List'."

I gaped. "She has a list? Oh yes, why not." I said weakly, completely giving up on trying to control Mirajane Strauss. That was a task marked impossible.

The bell rang for the first class, but my friends were still discussing the letter.

"Guys, all this is really unimportant. Let's get to class!" I said finally. Why waste our time on this?

"Oh man, Laxus is going to kill us. Yeah come on!" Levy realized and rushed off pulling me by the arm—which I hope won't become a habit with her— while Erza and Juvia went to their different classes.

I blew hair out of my face as we entered the History class. We were just in time. I sat down next to a pink-haired boy who I had learned the day before was Natsu Dragneel. He turned and smirked at me. I merely nodded my head once in acknowledgement, before dumping my History book on the desk.

Levy had said the teacher's name was Laxus. Did all the teachers in Crosswell have weird names or what?

Laxus walked in minutes after, his face grim and stern. He said something about studying Rome that day and I mentally groaned. It seemed everything that I had done back at my old school was torturing me here all over again. The teacher sat on his desk instead of the chair and began to explain the building of the city of Rome.

I tuned him out completely and started to flip through the text-book, when I heard the Dragneel boy muttering something. I turned and then tried to suppress my laughter. Natsu had obviously been getting bored like me, so he had fallen asleep on his arms. His face was towards me, and I could see he was drooling. He kept on muttering and mumbling something, and when I edged closer, I heard the word 'pancakes'. Wow, he was dreaming about pancakes in History class.

I could have been a good girl and wake him up when I noticed the teacher sweep his eyes across the class checking that we were all listening, but I didn't be that good girl.

Laxus inevitably noticed Natsu and his eyes narrowed. "Dragneel!" he barked.

Natsu kept sleeping. Laxus tried again, and then slammed his book down and made his way towards Natsu's desk. Everyone was now watching, amused. Laxus bent down and all but yelled into Natsu's ear. "DRAGNEEL! GET UP!" It worked.

Natsu shot up like a jack-in-the-box and shouted in bewilderment, "Pancakes?"

The whole class started to laugh while Laxus dragged Natsu by the shirt and out of the classroom. But just before Natsu was hauled out, he actually managed to wink at me.

I shook my head in exasperation. Did he have any idea that he just made a fool of himself?

After the much entertaining History class, a better English class—since we had to do essays that day— and the break, Art class rolled around. I got two classes with Gray that day, but we had to write stuff, so we could only manage a smile and usual greetings.

I was unhappy about the Art class. Why did we need art in high school anyway? Not that I didn't like art, but I couldn't even draw a dog without making it look like a ball with a tail.

We were supposed to paint whatever we wanted and submit it. Apparently the good ones would be chosen for the art exhibition that was supposed to take place next week. I didn't bother to do it, and started to chat with Levy which was easy since the teacher wasn't paying any attention to what we were doing.

I had noticed Mia and her two slaves were in my class and I had also learned that their names were Tori and Sadie.

Suddenly, I noticed Mia walking up to me with Tori. Tori had fair skin and blonde hair like me. I saw that they were heading for the classroom door and had paint boxes in their hands, which meant they wanted to empty the water or something. I turned back to Levy, thinking they were going to pass me.

But they didn't. As Mia walked past my desk, the two pain boxes in her hand tilted and slipped right out of her hand. I didn't have time to move, but I knew that it had been intentional. I had seen Mia loosen her grip on the boxes.

I scrunched my eyes up tight, as I felt the cold and gooey paint fall on me, making my hair, jacket, skirt and legs red and green. I could hear lots of people laughing as Mia said loudly, "Oh, I'm _so _sorry _Luna!_ It was a complete accident."

I grimaced and headed for the bathroom. As I walked along the corridor, trying to get green paint off my hair, I prayed fervently that no one I knew would see me like this. I reassured myself with the knowledge that I knew few people, so it would be alright. Of course, my bad luck just went into full mode that day, and my reassurance was thrown out of the window as I saw the very person who I didn't want to see in that condition.

I walked into the bathroom and saw Gray coming out,his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. I went red as a beetroot as he eyed my oh-so-beautiful state. I mentally wanted to strangle whoever did the school planning—if he had just put separate bathrooms for boys and girls, I wouldn't be stuck in this situation right now.

"Alright, you're like this why?" Gray asked. And I could SEE he was controlling his laughter.

"The wonderful cheerleader, Mia, did this." I replied going to one of the basins and trying to clean myself.

I glanced up to see anger flicker across Gray's face for a second before he nodded. "Yeah, she's a jerk."

I decided to have some fun. "You know, she likes you?" I said smirking.

Gray's reaction was hilarious. His face went from utter disbelief to disgust, and he choked before speaking. "Curse my awesome attractiveness."

I laughed. "We can find a way to get back at her you know." Gray suggested after a minute.

I hadn't thought of that. And now that I did, a series of weird ideas ran through my mind, starting from snakes down her back to beetles in her soup.

"We have to think about it. But, yeah." I agreed. Levy would help too, I'm sure.

I tried in vain to get rid of the paint from my jacket and hair, when Gray reached forward and helped me. I blushed but didn't object.

"What class are you bunking right now, getting paint off my hair?" I asked.

"History. Laxus seriously sucks." Gray replied.

That reminded me of the pancake incident and I told that to Gray, leaving out Natsu's wink. By the time I finished Gray was laughing real loud. "Natsu's the stupidest person on earth." He commented.

I grinned. Finally, my hair and legs were more or less okay, but I would have to wash the jacket later. We came out of the bathroom and Gray went off to his class and me to mine.

After Geography and Biology, Levy and I went home with Erza. Juvia had already gone, while Mira was still missing. Though what she was up to, I really didn't want to know.

Erza listened to the whole incident and flared up at Mia but smiled when I told them about Gray.

"So, should we come over to your house tomorrow Lucy? It's Saturday." Levy suggested. "Mission: Get revenge on Mia can be discussed there right?"

I giggled at the name and agreed. I was glad I joined the school on a Thursday; I only had two days of studies until the weekend!

"Don't forget the love-letter too Levy." Erza said mischievously. I groaned. What was with these romance-obsessed people these days?

"Alright, whatever. Hey, don't forget to inform Juvia and Mirajane." I said.

"Okay." Levy agreed.

We reached the cross-roads and I said goodbye to my friends. I walked back home, dumped my bag on the sofa and went off to have a nice warm bath. My mother was obviously at work, in another café. I should go there with my friends sometime. _Or with Gray—_a tiny voice in my head said, and I promptly told it to shut up.

After the bath I trudged upstairs and collapsed on the bed, tired. Mercifully, I didn't have any homework that day, so I just popped my head phones for the music player on and went to sleep.

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**It's finished :) I tried to make it a bit long, I hope you guys liked it. Please review :) I will update as soon as possible.**


	4. Chapter 4- Plannings

**Thank you guys for reviewing, following and favouriting- pikaqueen, Lyon'sApprentice, ecurtis554, fairytailaddict21, luvmiki and Lilitraum.**

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**Chapter Four- Plannings **

It was nearly evening and I was taking out a jar of cookies from the larder—that my mother had finally succeeded in opening— when the door-bell rang and I went to open the door. Levy and Mirajane came in, and they looked like they had just discovered a new continent.

I took them up to my room and Levy immediately went over to see my book collection. They were still looking extremely pleased about something so I finally asked, "Alright, why are you both smiling like idiots?"

Mirajane laughed. "You'll see when Erza and Juvia get here Lucy!"

What did they mean? I hoped this was not related to the love-letter incident.

I was about to try again with Levy this time, who was already seated comfortably at my desk reading a…book? I didn't remember I had a leather bound book. I bent over her shoulder, yelped, and snatched my half-finished novel away from my friend.

"Oh, give it back Luce! It's so good! What happens to the prince next?" Levy protested.

I didn't want anyone reading my story yet, but I realized I had some leverage in the present situation.

I smiled and said, "Okay, you can read it," Levy eagerly reached out for it but I danced out of the way. "If you tell me what you guys look so pleased about."

Levy shook her head. "Patience Lucy, patience."

I was about to pursue the subject when the door-bell rang again. "They're here!" Mira sang and dashed down the stairs before I step out of the room. I heard Erza calling Levy and me, so we went down to the living room where she was sitting on the carpet.

I sat down beside Erza and saw that she was holding a hot pink diary in her hand. Curious, I asked her, "Who does that belong to?"

"The key to Mission: Get revenge on Mia." Juvia piped up.

A gleeful smile spread across my face as I finally realized who the diary belonged to—Mia the cheerleader. Wow, Mia actually kept a diary? But what did my friends plan to do with it?

"Okay, first of all, where did you get it? And how do you plan to use it against her anyway?" I asked.

"Well, yesterday, in Gym class, Juvia and I were in the changing room, and we noticed Mia had left her diary on one of the benches. So, us being good people, stole it!" Erza said smugly.

Wow, hats off to my friends. "But why didn't you show it me yesterday itself?" I asked.

Erza and Juvia shrugged. "We figured it would better at your house. Plus one of Mia's friends could see us outside school." Erza said.

"And we haven't yet thought about how to use it against her, but Juvia is sure we're off to a pretty good start." Juvia added.

"Alright, enough with the explanations. Open it already!" Levy said impatiently. I scooted closer to Erza as she flipped open the diary and began to skim through the pages.

I occasionally noticed something funny and told Erza to stop and read it.

We started to read aloud all that the cheerleader had scribbled down about her private life. I knew I should have been feeling guilty about this, but honestly, after the paint incident, the whole thing really seemed the best way to teach Mia a lesson.

We spent hours reading and laughing about the diary. I flared up momentarily when we got to the part where Mia gushed over Gray. That was when I got a brainwave.

"Hey guys, when is the closest school event?" I asked.

Mira thought for a moment and said, "I think the art exhibition next week, why?"

Before I could reply Levy intervened. "No, there is that big debate coming up first, remember?"

Exactly how many events would be held at this school? But, who cared; I got what I needed.

"When is that Levy?" I asked. "It's on Monday." She replied much to my delight. "Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

I smirked and told them my idea. "See, the debate will be held in front of the whole school, right?" "No, not the seniors, but almost half the school will be there." Erza put in.

"Yeah," I continued. "So lots of people will be there. And immediately after this debate thing gets over, we should go up on the stage, then grab both the microphone and everyone's attention. Then we can spill out some of our Mia's sweet secrets to everyone. How's that sound?" I finished triumphantly.

"But what about the teachers?" Mira asked.

"The teachers are never there for debates and exhibitions or any kind of event, Mira! Some of the students who are either dorks to volunteer, or are chosen by force, manage everything." Levy said. "Gosh, it's like you're the new student!"

"Oh, yeah. Well, then I think Lucy's idea is great! Pity we can't put it into action sooner." Mira replied.

Erza and Juvia beamed. "Well, that is taken care of! Now, Lucy, your love life!" they declared.

I shot up from the carpet and made my way towards the kitchen mumbling, "I'll get something to eat for you guys."

As I was searching for some Coke, I could hear my friends laughing at my reluctance on the love-letter subject. I found the coke and grabbed a bag of chips before walking back to the living room where Levy, Mira and Erza were centered around a smiling Juvia.

"What now?" I asked putting the coke down on the small coffee-table.

"Juvia has some good guesses on who your secret admirer might be." Mira said, her eyes sparkling. I mentally shivered. Now it was secret admirer was it? When would this madness stop?

"Hey, Luce, didn't he mention when he wants to go out with you?" Levy asked.

I shook my head getting exasperated. "He said I have to 'find' him. I thought you guys had memorized the letter."

Juvia frowned, deep in thought. "Juvia has got it! It has to be either Loke or Hibiki." She declared suddenly, jumping off the sofa where she had been sitting.

I was at a loss since I had no idea who either Loke or Hibiki was.

I was about to ask my questions again, but Levy beat me to it. "How are you so sure?"

"Well, they sent letters like this to some of the other girls last year too! Also, Cana received one few weeks ago. It should have occurred to Juvia before." Juvia said.

"They sound like playboys to me." I commented.

"Oh they are!" Erza confirmed.

"And that is a good thing for me how?" I asked. Was this how I was supposed to be reassured?

Mira suddenly suggested, "How about you go on a date with Loke or Hibiki—whoever it is—and see if they have decided to become serious at all? If you see they have not, the girl can do the playing this time!"

I stared at Mira for a good two minutes and then said, "Alright, first of all, who said I'm going out with either of these baboons anyway? And I don't even know them!"

"Handsome baboons." Levy added—very helpful—while Erza said, "It can be a blind date!"

"One sided though." I muttered.

"Juvia thinks first everyone should sit down." Juvia said, completely off the track. But we sat down on the carpet anyway.

"Okay," Mira started. "What's wrong if you go with Hibiki or Loke? Do you like someone else?"

Gray's face flashed through my mind for an awkward two seconds, and as I answered, I could feel heat in my cheeks. "No."

"Great. You can even make this a one-time thing."

But I was not that type of girl. I didn't play with someone's heart before throwing it in the trash.

"I don't want to that." I mumbled in protest. But in the back of my mind, a tiny voice suggested that maybe I could do it once.

Levy leaned forward. "Okay, you don't have to if you feel this guilty about it!"

But Erza, Juvia and Mira didn't agree; "Come on Luce! Unless you fall hard for either of the boys, try it! One-times are fun!"

I was about to reply when Mira suddenly checked her phone as it buzzed.

"Hey, guys? Rule out Hibiki; Lisanna and him are officially a couple now. She just texted me."

"Isn't that your sister?" I asked. Mira nodded.

"Alright, Loke it is then! You want to give it a try Lucy?" Erza said.

And suddenly I decided. Why not? Maybe if I got to know Loke, he wouldn't seem so bad and I won't have to dump him after the first date. If I have got an admirer, I might as well have some fun.

"Okay!" I agreed. "Let's do it!"

Mira laughed and jumped up like Juvia. "Hold on guys!" she called as she went into the kitchen with her phone.

The rest of us began to decide what I should wear and all that stupid stuff when Mirajane came dancing back.

"So, Lucy it's set, your date with Loke! Tomorrow at four in the evening. Meet him at the highway."

All of us gaped at her. "How did you manage to do all that in five minutes?" I asked finally.

"Oh I made some calls! I have my sources you know." She said, like it was perfectly normal.

"Sure you do." I muttered.

"Now, let's go shopping!" Levy declared, much to everyone else's delight and my despair.

"But, why? The clothes in my wardrobe are good enough!" I said.

Completely ignoring me, my friends pulled me out of the house and to the beautiful dress shop I had seen on my first day. I remembered the café my mother worked in while looking at shirts, so I suggested that we should go there after finishing the dreaded shopping.

Everyone agreed and promptly pulled me off to the dress section.

I didn't mind the shopping that much, my friends—especially Mirajane—were so eager, I couldn't help but smile. I was excited about next day too, since it was my first date. So it was in a blissful mood that I exited the shop and headed to the café for cakes and coffee.

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**I really hope you guys like it :D Thanks again for all the reviews, they made me freaking happy! I will update as fast as possible :) Please review.**


	5. Chapter 5- Date with a Playboy

**Thanks a lot again for reviewing, following and favouriting guys— GrayxLucy- supporter, natpereira, 1fairytaillover, JergLol, and Vanesabebe1. **

**I also wanted to add two things: One is I got a guest review who requested a LoLu chapter, but that will actually ruin the story-line. So if she is reading this, I'm really very sorry for not making it **

**Okay, Two is, it was the term-break all these days, but my school will be starting from Tuesday, so I may not be able to upload very fast all the time. I'll try my best though :)**

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**Chapter Five- Date with a Playboy**

Mirajane finally removed her hands from my eyes and I opened them, disoriented.

"Well, what do you think?" Levy prompted when I didn't say anything.

I was standing in front of the only mirror in our house, and staring at myself, while all my friends were standing around me looking self-pleased.

Mira had put me into some lavender blue dress and tied up my hair into a ponytail, which she claimed was 'elegant'. I had no idea when she had managed to put on that gross makeup though, so instead of answering Levy's question, I went to the bathroom, washed my face, and came back.

"What did you do that for?" Erza wailed.

I shrugged. "I don't like dresses and white powder on my face even less."

Juvia and Levy shook their heads at my logic and Mira said, "Well, it's fine. You look pretty anyway. Now go to the highway! You've got ten minutes left!"

"Remind me why Loke decided to change the time of the date to eight again?" I asked.

"Like I said, no idea. Perhaps he wants to take you out for just dinner." Mira replied. She had not been happy about the changes, but that did not seem to reduce her eagerness.

I nodded, finally feeling excited. As I was putting on my shoes, my mother came downstairs. She got Sundays off, so she was at home.

"Have fun!" she called.

I was lucky my mother didn't mind me going out on dates. That was largely because of all the 'safe' lectures that had been endured by me in the past.

I made my way towards the highway, trying to picture Loke in different ways. Levy had tried to describe him to me yesterday, so all that I knew now was he had brownish-orange hair and wore glasses. Apart from that, Levy's comments included things along the line of 'drop-dead gorgeous', which didn't help me too much.

I reached the highway and caught sight of a cream-skinned boy leaning against a lamp-post. He had not noticed me yet. It had to be Loke; he was also wearing the glasses. I saw he was tall and muscular, and had a serious face. I would have liked him, had I not also noticed him winking at a girl standing opposite him.

Alright, that didn't set the mood very well, but I was still willing to give Loke a chance.

I took a deep breath, straightened my dress and walked towards him. Loke did see me this time, and he flashed a genuine smile at me.

I returned the smile and stopped in front of him, unsure of what to do. Then Loke did something hugely embarrassing in public—he took my right hand, kissed it and smirked. "Hello Lucy. Seems like you found your prince, didn't you?"

Was I a princess that he tried that old move of courtesy? I blushed,deciding to ignore that, and said, "Yeah, I guess."

What else could I say? 'Pleased to meet you my lord'?

Loke stood up straight and said, "So, I found this interesting restaurant I could take you to, and—"

He went on about the place. What was wrong with a small place? But I didn't really want to protest, so I went with it.

Loke and I started to walk past our school, and I was noticing how beautiful Magnolia looked with all the lights, when Loke started to ask me random things about myself.

We talked about each other and stuff, but I had to admit to myself; I was feeling bored. There was no liveliness at all.

Loke suddenly stopped walking and I bumped into him. "We're here!" he announced.

We were standing in front of this very classy looking restaurant. I could smell the different food items even standing outside, and as we went in, I saw that there were lamp-shades hanging above the polished tables.

The whole place seemed so different to me. I had never been to such a fancy place before, even when my father was still living with us.

I looked up at Loke—for he was pretty tall—and asked, "Do you go to places like this often?"

Loke shrugged dismissively. "Yes, sort of. What kind of places do you prefer?"

I decided not to answer that and instead studied the flowers in a vase while Loke went over to the reception.

I had this nagging thought at the back of my mind which I was trying to ignore, but my attempts were not successful. This was a date, yet everything seemed so formal, so confined. I thought people had loads of fun on dates.

Loke came back and took my hand. I spotted a gold ring on his hand as he pulled me along to our reserved table. How rich was this guy? I shook my head, trying to get rid of all these negative thoughts. I myself was ruining the night, and it had hardly started!

As I sat down, Loke studied my face for a minute. His beautiful hazel eyes stared into my brown ones as he said, "You seem awfully quiet, Lucy. I've seen you look much more cheerful at school!"

I bit my lip, unsure. "It's just that, I hardly know you, so I guess it's a bit hard for me to adjust and all." I trailed off after that lame explanation.

But Loke merely nodded and then leaned back into his chair. He gestured for me to choose what I wanted to have.

There was nothing else to do, nothing to laugh and discuss about, so I grudgingly picked up the menu and hid my flushed face behind it. My mouth popped open as I read the sky-high prices more than the items. I glanced up for a moment as the awkward silence between us continued, and saw Loke was staring at something to his right. I followed his gaze and saw one of the waitresses, who was casually standing near the reception. She was pretty, with her long black hair with highlights and playful smile, now directed at my date.

But at that precise moment, I realized Erza had been right. Loke didn't mean to get serious at all. He was just finding another girl to play with. What a waste of time and money!

I frowned and Loke suddenly—and finally—looked away from the other girl who I was no match for.

"Decided?" he asked, his voice smooth and impassive.

I put the darn menu down and crossed my arms on the table.

"Question," I started, making sure my face looked intent. "When was the last time you had a girlfriend for more than a day?"

Loke looked surprised at my sudden rudeness, but had the nerve to smirk anyway, reminding of Dragneel—who I really didn't have space for in my mind at that moment—and replied, "Hmm, I guess never, but you may pass the test, princess."

I flinched at the cliché title for me and said, "I don't want to. But maybe, I could consider it if you stopped eyeing the waitress."

"I was simply admiring the decorations."

I snorted. "Yeah right. I believe that."

"Tell you what," Loke suggested, all his formal manner of speaking gone with the wind. "I'm going to men's room for a while, and hopefully when I come back, you will be cooled down." He glanced once more to his right.

I stared at the playboy in disbelief as he simply got up and disappeared behind a door, which I presumed lead to the two washrooms.

I suddenly recalled Mira giving me the idea of doing the dumping this time. So I just composed myself a bit, and waited for Loke to return. When he would, we would just have to see how things turned out. But one thing I was sure of; Loke was escaping the first chance he got, so I would do exactly as Mira had said.

I waited for at least twenty minutes for Loke to come back, but he didn't. Exasperated with the boy, I stood up from my place and went to stand in front of the doors he had gone through. I had always been impatient, and situations like this made it worse.

After another precious ten minutes of my life were wasted, I peeked over the doors, and into the space between two more doors on opposite sides. I clamped a hand over my mouth so I wouldn't gasp, and ducked down again, thoroughly disgusted.

Somehow the waitress had also managed sneak in, and now Loke and her were doing something I really didn't want my brain to remember.

I narrowed my eyes and stalked back to our table. As I was fuming and glaring at the menu, one of the waiters came to ask for the orders.

Maybe, I wouldn't have to do exactly what Mira had suggested, I could use my own imagination too...

A sudden mischievous idea formed in my mind and I opened the menu. Picking out the most expensive dishes—which would have cost me a fortune—I ordered them all. The waiter staggered as I finished and walked away mumbling and scratching his head.

I knew that all these dishes would be too much to pay for, even with Loke, and I smirked deviously to myself.

Only half of all I ordered arrived after a while, but my date was still not back. Perfect. I ate whatever I could, tasting a bit of everything, and then I got up smartly and walked up to my waiter.

"Make sure my 'boyfriend' pays for everything, alright?" I said, before making my way out.

The poor, baffled boy questioned my sanity with his eyes for a moment, and then nodded vigorously.

I had been thinking that my night was ruined, but perhaps not.

I came of the posh place and immediately called my friends, giving them a brief description of my surroundings. After sometime I saw Mirajane and Erza coming towards me, Levy and Juvia in tow.

"What happened? Over already?" Mira asked, while she tried to catch her breath.

I nodded gleefully and spilled out the story. "And poor Loke is still oblivious to his punishment!" I finished happily.

Mirajane's eyes widened, then her face broke into a smile. "That's my girl!" she cried as she slapped me on the back.

"Alright, now let's get out of here before Loke does come. Let's go somewhere where we can actually enjoy!" I declared.

My friends agreed, and after some thinking we ended up at a café AGAIN. But it was already nine-thirty, and we couldn't really find anything else to do.

However, more than my stupid 'date', I had a lot more fun talking and throwing sugar cubes at my friends, discussing how Mia's face would look like when we read her diary out the next day.

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**Okay, I think this chapter sucked a lot, but I will try and make it up in the coming chapters. Please review and tell me if you liked it or not! Thank you :) I'll update as soon as possible (Like I always say) :D**


	6. Chapter 6- Sweet Secrets

**Thank you all so much for reviewing, favouriting and following!- 1fairytaillover and kjayanimefan, and of course all my story followers :D **

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**Chapter Six- Sweet Secrets**

"This is boring!" Juvia and I complained in unison.

Erza nodded in agreement. "I know it is. Debates always are. But there are just a few minutes left, so bear with it."

I was sitting with my friends and fifty more people in the school hall, staring at the debate that was taking place up on the stage, with Mia's diary in my hands. The hall was just as big as the cafeteria and it was airy, so we didn't feel stuffed up.

I hadn't been paying too much attention to the debate, but Levy was listening to every word intently while Erza, Mira, Juvia and I groaned every ten seconds.

All of us had made sure to sit far from our class, so the diary wouldn't be spotted until the time came. Why ruin the fun?

When I had come into the school with Levy this morning, I had seen Loke from a distance. When he noticed me, he scowled in my direction, as I laughed.

"Had a good night?" I called mockingly, closing my locker.

Loke had turned and stalked off without replying, but that just made it funnier.

Finally, the debate came to a close as Team B, which was against, won. Mostly everyone looked happy that it was over, earning dirty looks from Levy. But I didn't get why she did that. It would be our chance to shine once the debate ended! Sometimes, Levy was hard to read.

"Come on guys! Now's our chance!" Mira hissed, voicing my thoughts. We all got up, excited.

Before all the students could file out, I jumped onto the stage and grabbed one of the microphones. Levy was right beside me, and the rest were perhaps behind me. At first we had decided on just two people going up on stage, but it wasn't fair for anyone to miss the fun and the credit, so all five of us were present.

"Everyone, your attention please!" I said, and it worked. Everyone turned their heads towards me, no doubt wondering what we were up to. I caught sight of Gray at the front, and he was smirking, already informed. I also saw Mia somewhere in the middle, looking surprised and somewhat suspicious.

"Well, we have a special event today!" I continued.

There was the general murmur between everyone. Levy suddenly took the microphone from me and said, "Alright, so this event is known as Sweet Secrets!" she declared, and I was sure she had made that up right on spot. "Starring Mia Kane!"

I smiled and then opened the diary. "Here goes!" Mira yelled from behind.

"Dear Diary: Monday morning, at school," I started. "I saw Cana first thing in the morning! I was so sure my day would go bad, I mean WHO would like to see Cana's great, ugly face and ruin their lives? She thinks she's so pretty, but she's not! She is SO down-market and messed up!" I paused for reaction.

The boys were all whistling while Cana's face looked ready to explode. "Hey, that's what the heroine says, Cana!" I called. "We all love you!"

Cana grimaced. "Yeah, trust me; I just want to throw lava on a certain person! You keep reading Lucy."

Meanwhile Mia's face was priceless. She was nearly blue with rage and shock, and she was glaring daggers at all of us.

I decided to go on. "Oh, here's a good one! Dear Diary: Wednesday morning at school. I had three classes with Gray today! I adore his biceps! I wonder why he seems like he is not interested in me. Because EVERY boy likes me! Maybe he is just playing hard-to-get and he actually loves me!"

Gray snorted in the audience. "Yeah that's gonna happen!" he called out to Mia.

I laughed, enjoying this. "Alice wanted me to do extra training in cartwheels today. Honestly, I don't know why I can't be head cheerleader, I would be perfect! Or at least better than Alice!"

I had not seen Alice before, but I was pretty sure it was her when a girl laughed darkly and commented, "Sure you can be head cheerleader. Just wait a few more centuries."

Alice seemed pretty to me. She had deep, red hair and a kind, sensible face. She caught my eye and winked.

I went back to the diary, Juvia turning to one of our favorite pages. "Now it's Juvia's turn!" she complained.

I grinned and handed the diary to her. Juvia smiled and came in my place.

"Wednesday night: I am going to sleep now. But I'm scared tonight! My Boo-Boo Bear and Softy Rabbit are no longer in my room! Mom threw them out, because she thinks I'm too old for them! I can't sleep without my teddy bears, what should I do?"

The entire school assembly was hooting with laughter. Mira and I were already doubled over in giggle attacks. Erza never really went over-board, so she was just grinning.

"Stop! You monsters!" Mia shrieked.

"Someone put paint on her to cool her off!" a boy who had been in my Art class yelled.

"Or bring Mr. Bear to comfort her!" a girl suggested.

"Okay, I think that's enough, right guys?" I whispered to my friends. I was starting to feel a little sorry for the cheerleader, even though she deserved all this. She had not only been rude to me, but she had been a domineering and intimidating person to others too.

Mira agreed, still laughing. "Yeah, you're right." But Juvia read out a few more embarrassing parts anyway, until the hall felt like a football stadium. Finally, Juvia handed the diary back, tears in her eyes from laughing.

I took the microphone again—which resulted in a pouting Juvia—and said, "Alright everyone, unfortunately this special event has now drawn to a close! We hope with all our hearts that you enjoyed this!" I added mischievously.

Our audience cheered in response, and everyone began to walk out of the hall. I called out to Mia and tossed the diary back to her. Mia caught it, pointed the finger at me, and ran out. I decided to ignore the rude gesture and turned to my left.

Gray was still standing near the stage, and I came down to talk to him.

"Well?" I asked, once I was standing in front of him.

"The perfect punishment!" Gray replied. "Where did you get the diary?" he asked.

"Oh, my friends managed to get it!" I said. I turned back to call them and share the credit, but there was no one on the stage.

"Where did they go?" I spluttered.

And then I got it. Oh, just like my friends. They had left me alone with Gray in the entire hall. Why did that bother me so much? It shouldn't! Gray was my friend! I made a mental note to strangle Mira later.

I faced Gray again and shrugged. "Uh, maybe, well they are not here." I stammered.

Gray nodded, and from the look on his face, it looked like he was sharing a joke I didn't know about.

"What am I missing?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing." Gray was beginning to annoying me now. Of course something! Why did people always reply with nothing?

"Shouldn't we get to class?" I said finally when he kept staring at me in that cute and infuriating manner.

"Yeah, we should." But Gray didn't move a muscle—to head out at least. He just leaned forward, so I could feel his minty breath on my face—which was slowly making me dizzy—and asked simply, "Do you like someone?"

I knew he didn't mean just anybody. I knew exactly what he meant, which was surprising, since it was hard for me to focus with his dark blue eyes so close to mine.

And I shook my head, very aware of my messed up hair and my boring T-shirt and shorts suddenly.

"Good." Gray muttered. He leaned away. "What if, hypothetically let's say, I asked you whether you liked me or not?" he asked.

My mind was swarming, but I understood what Gray meant. Weren't we getting really late for class? Vague thoughts like that mixed in with the strong ones, confusing my mind. Because of that, it took me a minute to reply.

"Hypothetically?" I said at last. Gray nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I guess, yeah, I mean…not like in your sense, or maybe yes, in that sense… you know, we're imagining aren't we… so perhaps I would agree… no return the feelings… no I…" I was stammering again, and inside, I wanted to kick myself. I had already forgotten his question, and I struggled to remember the structure of statements.

What was Gray doing? Moreover, what was I doing?

And then I was lost and confused again, as Gray came close. Too close, in my opinion. It was amazing yet frustrating, how I could make sense of small, insignificant details, like how my hands were sweating, and how the sunlight coming in through the huge glass windows was burning my back, but not the important things.

Gray smiled now, and involuntarily, I closed my eyes as his face came centimeters away from mine. I didn't mean to. My mind tried to stop me. But my body didn't.

"We can have some sweet secrets too you know." He whispered.

And I tilted my head up as I felt Gray's hands on either side of my face, while his lips shaped mine…

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"Detention, Ms. Heartfilia. The class has almost finished, and you decide to come now?" I stared blankly at Laxus as he shouted at me.

Finally, he allowed me to sit inside the classroom, since I wasn't responding very well to his famous scowl and scoldings.

I sat in a daze beside Levy. "So, what happened?" she whispered. My brain clicked or something as I muttered, "You intentionally left me there, didn't you?"

Levy smirked playfully. "Maybe, maybe not."

I sat through my first three classes, hardly comprehending, until the break finally came. Mira and Juvia nearly hauled me to the cafeteria table, and when no amount of shaking on Erza's part brought me back to normal, Levy got a glass of ice-cold water and poured it on my head.

That woke me up _almost_ completely, and instead of complaining, I thanked Levy for the alarm. Levy smiled. "Yeah, I know. In a crisis, call Dr. McGarden."

I frowned. "This is not a crisis."

Juvia sided with Levy. "Yes it is. You were half-dead the whole day."

"Not whole." I protested.

"Stop denying everything we say," Erza started,—"I'm not denying," I denied— "And tell us what happened." She finished.

With a lot of reluctance, stammering, frowning, spacing outs and confusion, I told my friends what happened.

Mira whistled. "Congratulations Luce! Your first kiss!"

I hushed them. "Don't say that out loud!"

"Why?" Levy demanded. "People deserve to know!"

"Just let me figure things out by myself first, please?" I pleaded.

Everyone agreed grudgingly. After having nothing but cold water dumped on me in the cafeteria, I endured the remaining classes plus the dreaded detention as best as I could, before rushing home, with Levy shouting from behind that she would call me in the evening.

When I reached home, I went straight to the mirror and stared at my flushed, excited face. And all I could think at that moment was, "I'm lucky."

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**I hope this was good enough! Gray finally did it :) Please review guys, thanks :) I'll update as soon as possible.**


	7. Chapter 7- Lucky

**Thank you all so very much for reviewing, following and favouriting- Blunt, Lucyheartfilia, Dorchet, gralu4ever,woolums, 1fairytaillover, Grayxlucy-supportah :) Sorry for updating late, I tried to make this a bit long to make up!**

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**Chapter Seven- Lucky**

"Lucy!"

I groaned and turned over.

"Lucy! We're getting late!"

I shot up in my bed and looked around trying to find Levy since it was her voice urging me to get up.

Another cry made me turn towards the window, and I opened it to look down. Levy was standing right in front of our house, waving her arms with an impatient look on her face, which suddenly turned into half-amusement when she saw my hair looking like a bird nest.

"I'm coming! Give me five minutes!" I shouted back.

"Okay, but hurry! We have Gildarts again!"

"Yeah!" I noticed the neighbors giving us dirty looks since our rather loud conversation was waking a lot of people up.

I scrambled off the bed and hurriedly went to the bathroom. After a hurried bath, and change of clothes, I brushed my bird nest with a comb in vain, and then rushed down the stairs.

"What about breakfast Lucy?" my mother called from the kitchen.

"I'll manage!" I replied and came out of the house.

I let out a huge sigh and went to Levy.

"We have exactly seven minutes to get to school, so let's go." She said.

I nodded. "Am I looking fairly presentable?" I asked as we ran.

"Uh, yeah, sure I guess." Levy suppressed a grin.

I shook my head and we crossed the road. Finally we reached our school and with one minute left, we shot off to English class. Mercifully Gildarts had decided to come in late again, so we collapsed on the desks and panted for air.

I noticed Mira, Erza and Juvia standing in a corner. I searched for Gray, but he had not come yet. At least someone kept track of the teachers' timings.

"Hey guys!" Mira walked over to us with the other two and plopped down beside me.

I smiled and then asked, "Where is Gilly?" Erza snorted at the name.

"Oh, we saw him a few minutes ago in the music room. I know you have a tendency to be late Luce, but this is the only class you'll get lucky in." Mira replied.

I frowned. What was the teacher doing in the music room when the bell had rung for English? "What was he doing there?" I asked.

Juvia giggled. "Playing the piano." And it was confirmed with that one sentence that Gildarts was cracked.

I sat back and straightened my hair, mostly returning it to its normal shape, when Erza came closer. "So," she started in a tone which predicted trouble ahead for me. "Did you do any thinking?"

I had been lots of thinking yesterday along with coming to some decisions. So instead of shying away from the subject like I normally would, I replied, "Well, yes I did. And after the huge confusion cleared, I decided… I like it."

It was obvious from my tone that 'like it' was a bit of an understatement, but my friends understood what I meant. But of course, Mira would not stop at that, so instead of probing around, she bluntly asked, "Do you love Gray?" Why did Mira always embarrass me?

I threw up my hands in exasperation, but that did not stop the blood from flooding my cheeks. "Yes!" I hissed.

Then I opened my English book very violently and buried my face in Shakespeare.

"Someone's here Luce…" Juvia whispered. I peeked up and saw Gray entering the classroom. Levy smirked and moved away from his desk, Erza following her lead. Gray dumped his bag and himself onto the chair and looked at me. He smiled and raised an eyebrow, and I realized my face was half-hidden by the book.

I put it down quickly and then, acting on pure impulse, I leaned forward near Gray's ear. "Hypothetically," I whispered, "I would say I liked you." I had finally managed to remember the question last night, and the answer had come to my mind like a reflex reaction.

Gray grinned and whispered back, "Then hypothetically, we would meet each other after school today."

My eyes sparkled with excitement and I went back to my seat as Gildarts came in, humming tunes pompously.

I noticed something in my peripheral vision—blue hair bobbing up and down—and I turned to my left to see Levy nearly jumping out of her seat.

"What?" I muttered.

"What were you two whispering about?" she asked excitedly.

I rolled my eyes. "Nothing important." I said, even though my mind was screaming the opposite of what I said.

Levy pouted. I glanced quickly at the teacher and said, "I'm sort of meeting Gray after school so—"

My friend smiled so huge, it seemed to reach her ears, and flashed me a thumbs up before abruptly returning to her book. I blinked and did the same.

After Gildarts had finished singing his heart out, he slammed his hands down on his desk and announced in a booming voice, "Alright class. We are going to do short play extracts today, so I will be pairing you up and assigning the plays."

Plays? Seriously? How exactly would this help in our academic results? But I shrugged it off. Maybe this really was necessary, either way it was to our benefit, we wouldn't have to study. Gildarts hiccupped and started to choose the pairs.

I got paired up with Levy, Mira with a black haired boy- Rogue, Juvia with Cana, and Erza with…Gray.

Erza tried to exchange partners with me, but we were on opposite ends of the classroom, and even if Gildarts seemed drunk, he was still watching us.

Gray caught my eye and mouthed, "Too bad." I nodded in agreement. Gildarts's voice broke our eye contact as he declared the plays. He got to Levy and me, and said, "Okay, Luna and Lacy, you will be doing Scene Fourteen from the 'The Battle' on page sixty." When would he ever get our names correct?

Levy opened to the page and we scanned through our part.

"Right," I started. "So, uh, Brooke has poisoned Diana, and just as she dies Lewis comes in."

Levy nodded rolling her eyes. "Stupid play, stupid dialogues." She muttered. "Anyway, you have you play Diana, and I'll do Lewis, since I have short hair."

I agreed. "But how do we do this darn 'short play' without laughing I have no idea," I commented. It didn't take long to learn the lines, as there were hardly any.

After ten minutes Gildarts moved some of the desks away to create more space and then called Cana and Juvia."Okay, you've discussed enough! You both, come up front!"

The pairs kept on coming, and majority embarrassed themselves by messing up the lines. Natsu tripped over his shoes and banged into the cupboard in the middle of praising his partner.

Erza and Gray went up just before us. Erza was supposed to be a fierce lady who hated the orphan, which was Gray, who had been sent to live with her. Poor Gray didn't really have to act, since Erza fit into 'fierce mode' immediately.

At last we were called and made our way toward the stage of doom. "Okay, let's get this over with," Levy breathed. She moved to the other side, and I started my scene.

I stumbled along the place, trying to look like I had just been poisoned; I even tried to do the classic clutching the throat, choking and dropping down dead, but everyone was roaring with laughter. I felt like laughing at my own stupidity. Then just as I fell on the floor with exaggerated slow motion, Levy walked in and tried to put on a mask which could spell shocked and horrified.

"Oh Diana!" she exaggerated even more than me, and rattled off with her mourning, while I simply lay on the floor and felt like an idiot.

Finally, I gave up, and started to laugh.

Gildarts groaned and stood up. He had been groaning ever since all the pairs had started enacting. He was about to chew us out, but the bell rang and he muttered blackly, "Stupid class dismissed."

I was still on the floor and Gray and Erza's head loomed over me. Gray offered me a hand and I got up, brushing dust off my jeans.

"What do we have now?" I asked Levy.

"Geography." She answered.

"Are you in my class?" I quickly asked Gray. He looked disappointed. "No!" he whined like a child. I laughed.

"Break." I promised before heading out with Levy and Erza. Once we were outside Mira raised an eyebrow. "Break? What about us?"

Oh, right. I should have considered that. "Uh, I don't know. Maybe he can sit with us, or maybe—"

"Forget it." Mira smiled. "It's fine. But if you forget us the next time, we'll give you a full makeover and send you as a gift to your boyfriend."

I was too horrified at the promise of a makeover, so I didn't register the last part very well. I grinned, and Mira and Juvia went off to Biology.

As I came into the Geography class, I noticed the very two people I really didn't want to bother with—Loke and Natsu. I groaned and tried to find seats away from them. But Erza sat at the front and Levy and I ended up in between the two baboons. The pink-haired baboon was to my right while the other one was to the left of Levy.

Natsu was sleeping again, and Loke kept glaring at me. Erza had turned back to say something, and when she saw Loke giving me the stink eye, she glared back at him twice as ferocious. That really wasn't necessary, but I was glad she made my baboon enemy retreat.

After fifteen minutes Alice came and informed that Evergreen, the teacher wouldn't be coming that day. I wasn't sure anyone heard her over the racket all the boys were causing by starting a chalk fight, but the noise level seemed to increase anyway.

I turned to Levy and started to chat, but then I felt someone poking my right shoulder. I moved to see Natsu, grinning like an idiot as usual. I decided to be civil, since he hadn't really done anything bad to me before, he just irritated me.

"Yeah?"

"Isn't your house the one with white paint, red roof and a brown door? The one with that small little garden?"

I frowned. "Are you a stalker?"

Natsu stared at me bewildered. "You mean like a plant?"

I rolled my eyes. "No dummy, that is a stalk! I was asking if you are a stalker, but judging from your expression you have no idea what I mean."

"But it is your house right?" Dragneel could really be annoying.

"Maybe." I said, before going back to mine and Levy's discussion on fiction books.

When break came, I shot out of the class and bumped into Gray. "Ow!" I muttered, rubbing my nose. "Oh cool, I found you sooner than expected." I added.

Gray smiled one of my favorite smiles and pulled me towards the opposite direction of the cafeteria.

"What are you doing? The cafeteria is that way!" I protested.

"Too noisy, I have a better place." Gray said.

We went up the stairs I had never gone up through, and left all the shouting behind. There was a lone corridor with a few classrooms and club rooms, and Gray pushed me into one of the club rooms. It was huge and had hardly any furniture except two chairs and a desk which was in front of the old, unused blackboard. There were two windows with frosted glass, so the sunlight was not making the room hot as an oven like in the other rooms; instead it was casting a beautiful orange light across the place. I caught the faint scent of jasmine flowers and noticed them sitting in a glass of water on the window sill.

"Nice," I commented. "You come here for lunch every day?" I added. Come to think of it, I never had seen Gray in the cafeteria.

Gray nodded. "Yeah, this room is hardly used anyway. This is my second house every break, every time I decide to bunk classes, and every time I put itching powder on Laxus."

I giggled and sat down on one of the chairs. Gray went behind the desk, and then magically produced two chocolate bars. I asked him how with my eyes, and walked over to him.

The two drawers on the side of the desk were stuffed with all sorts of junk food, and various sweet things which were bad for my teeth. Lovely.

"Why here?" I asked when I finished laughing at Gray's secret stash.

He shrugged. "Makes a good closet."

I grinned and bit into my bar, the creamy chocolate filling my mouth. Gray sat down next to me and narrated how Mia had screamed and knocked over two desks as well as herself when she discovered a harmless spider scurrying across her desk in Chemistry.

I munched the chocolate and chatted away with him, surprised at how I had ever been uncomfortable around him before. When the stupid bell rang for Physics, I scowled at its general direction and called the bell names which resulted in an overly amused Gray.

We bounded down to class and I day-dreamed away about after-school as we studied mass.

* * *

"This...is...just beautiful!" I breathed.

After school, I had met Gray outside as planned, and he had taken me toward the small parts of Magnolia which had lots of greenery. He kept telling me it was a surprise when I asked where we were going, so I was forced to trudge along the brown and rocky paths of the forest.

We hadn't gone in very deep, when we finally reached a cluster of trees, which Gray claimed was the place. I pushed through them, and found myself in a clearing, that seemed like it had flown away and left Magnolia in the dust.

There was a bubbling stream to my right, and the small meadow had little white and pink flowers dancing in the wind. It was much cooler there than in the town, and there was no noise except for our breathing, the birds, and the gurgling water. The trees were forming a circle around the meadow, like a crown, and when I tugged off my sneakers and hopped onto the grass, it felt like walking on velvet.

"I come here a lot, and you're the first person I shared this place with." Gray said, looking pleased. "It's behind these uninviting trees, so no one really goes through them and bother to explore this part."

"This place is amazing, like it has come out straight from a book." I said. "I'm sure I felt jealous when I read about a place like this somewhere. Thanks, for bringing me here."

I was really happy, and everything was so calm and peaceful, I closed my eyes and sighed contentedly as I lay down on the grass. I felt a shadow over me, and the next thing I knew, I felt Gray's lips on mine. "You're welcome." he said.

This time, I was not confused, nor was I surprised. I loved it, and said jokingly, "Don't be so Romeo."

Gray laughed. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry, Juliet."

I stuck my tongue out at him and smiled. Gray and I spent most of the afternoon sitting there, occasionally talking, but mostly listening to the stream and birds.

It was getting dark, and we decided to get back. I put my sneakers on and we raced each other out of the forest. Naturally, Gray won, since I was just about as good at running as I was at art.

Gray wanted to drop me off, but I scowled and protested that I was not a baby. I had no idea why I did that, but I did. So Gray flashed a grin and walked off, leaving me to go back to my house.

As I was about to open the front door, a boy leapt out from nowhere and shouted my name. I screamed and jumped back when I saw Natsu emerge from the bushes.

"Hey Lucy!"

I got back to normal, and my temper rose up. "What do you think you're doing, stalker?" I yelled.

Natsu rubbed his ear and said, "I wanted to say something!" He was such a baby.

"Shoot." I allowed.

"Okay!" he agreed. Then he composed his expression and said, "I love you Lucy."

I waited. "What's the punch line?" I said finally.

Natsu frowned. "There isn't one."

I believed him and then said, "Okay, are you sure that you are not drunk, or sleepwalking, or—"

"I'm serious."

I laughed. "We'll talk about this later. Get some sleep and come back to your senses Natsu." I unlocked the door and went in.

Natsu looked defeated and gave in. "Fine. But I meant it."

I really didn't take him seriously, and shut the door, making my way towards my bath. Who had space for Natsu right now? He was obviously kidding, or acting on a dare. Maybe he just went crazy, like into the full mode. I trudged up to my room after my bath and plopped down on the bed, my recent encounter already forgotten and banished by Gray Fullbuster.

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**I really hope you guys liked this, I'm not very sure about this one :) Please review and comment on it, thank you :) I will update as fast as I can :)**


	8. Chapter 8- Pressure

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**Chapter Eight- Pressure**

It was raining again, and Levy and I were stuck in school without an umbrella. I think it rains in Magnolia every Wednesday or something, because my last few days had been bright and sunny. Mira and Juvia had been asked to stay back, since they were members of some club which was having a meeting that day, while Erza had bunked school to go visit her cousins, so we couldn't go home with them.

There had been Games in the last period, but due to the downpour we spent the period in the changing rooms.

I hadn't been able to see Gray because of that, and he wasn't in my Games class anyway, so I had no idea whether he was still in school or not. Probably not. Luckily, Natsu and I had hardly seen each other that day, so I had been successful to escape the results of the previous day's embarrassment. My mind had been too full of better things yesterday, so it didn't really pay attention to Natsu's 'very serious' words.

"I think we're going to have to run the whole way Luce." Levy said.

"I don't want to get wet!" I complained.

Levy rolled her eyes. "We don't have a choice."

"Says who?"

I whirled around in surprise and saw Gray standing near the lockers, two umbrellas in his hands and a smirk on his face.

"Oh, you're a life-saviour Gray!" Levy squealed. "Can I have the purple one? I really have to get back home BEFORE my show starts."

Levy was more worried about missing her television show than getting home, so when Gray gave the purple umbrella to her, she rushed out with it half open, and without a word of thanks.

"See you later too!" I called after her.

"Come on girlfriend, let's go." I blushed and scowled, before walking out with Gray with the umbrella open.

As we walked along the rain-washed streets, I asked, "Why were you still in school?"

"I knew it was going to rain today and also that you didn't have an umbrella. So I figured I could swoop in and be the hero again." He grinned.

How exactly did he know I didn't have one? I shrugged that off and asked one of my incessant questions again. "But you didn't know that before you came to school. So how did you have two umbrellas?"

Gray's mouth twitched; "I sort of stole one from Mia Kane."

My eyes widened and I laughed. "Which one?"

"The one Levy took."

"I should remind her to wash her hands properly."

We walked in silence for some time, and after fifteen minutes we reached the cross-roads.

"This time I have to walk you home." Gray said teasingly.

I huffed, splashed in a puddle, and agreed. We reached my house, and when I went to open the door, my mother opened it herself. I was confused for a split-second; I had been thinking she was at work in the café.

Gray was still behind me, so he greeted her with a polite, "Pleased to meet you Mrs. Heartfilia."

There was something definitely wrong with my mother's usually cheerful face, and when I was about to ask her if she had ditched the café due to the rain, she shocked me by bursting into tears. I had never seen her cry once since my father left us.

When he had left us, my mother had broken down completely, and I had been too scared to do anything. But after a week or so, she decided it was for the best, and we could live happier poor than without him. She had morphed into a completely new bubbly, happy-go-lucky self, which was how I always pictured Mom.

So now, I reached forward and asked, "What happened, Mom?"

"It's Jude. He's… he's been in an accident. He's in a coma." There was nothing but the sound of the rain and faint thunder after her words. I stood there, on the porch, completely frozen. I vaguely heard the phone ringing in the house, and my mother ran to get it, like it could possibly change what had happened.

I felt Gray's hands grabbing my shoulders and whispering comforting words into my ear. He dragged me into the house and sat me down on the sofa.

"It's going to be alright, he'll be fine." Gray soothed, brushing my hair back, which I knew was falling on my eyes as my head hung low.

"He'll be fine. It'll be completely alright."

I snapped suddenly, and realized sitting like this wouldn't help. But I didn't get why I was so worried. I had learned to hate my father, to blame all our troubles on him because of leaving us. So why was I feeling sorry for all of it now? Why then, was I praying for my father to be truly alright?

"I shouldn't," I moaned to Gray. "I shouldn't…feel…like this."

"He's still your father, there's nothing wrong with this." Gray replied, and I could hear the relief in his voice when I returned to normal again.

I nodded, and stood up. I wasn't crying, and I wasn't shocked anymore. I went to the kitchen, where my mother probably was, and Gray did not follow, because he understood.

"Mom?" I poked my head in through the kitchen door and found her standing near the sink, her face looking slightly better. So the phone call had been good news.

She crossed the room and hugged me, whispering, "The hospital in Azure Town called. He is in a slightly better condition. They are not yet sure though, but we have to go there."

I nodded and rushed up to my room. I searched for money to travel by the local train in my drawer, but there was only enough for one person. I remembered I had spent some of my money on a new bag, and groaned out loud.

"Lucy?" Gray came inside, looking worried.

"I'm fine." I reassured. "But we have to get to Azure Town, and I don't have train fare."

"I'm coming too, and I have the money, so don't worry."

I was relieved, but then I said, "We can't take your—"

"Yes you can! No more arguments Lucy, please, let's go." Gray said fiercely. I nodded, and followed him out of my room.

"Mom, come on! Gray is coming with us!" I ran into the kitchen, grabbed her hand and came near the door.

She didn't ask questions, which was good since I didn't have time for answers. It was only four in the evening, but the sky was starting to get dark. I grabbed an umbrella, Gray picked the one he had dropped on the porch in an attempt to control me, and we came out.

As we raced toward the station, I couldn't help but feel guilty for hating my father earlier. Somewhere, deep inside me, I knew I still cared. But if this didn't turn out well—I forced my mind to kill that thought for my mother's sake—I still would not forgive my father entirely. I just didn't know why, but some wounds leave scars that can never fade completely, and they stay with you like a memento of your pain.

* * *

Gray clutched my hand while I rubbed my mother's shoulder. She seemed calmer outside, but I knew she was worried sick inside. We were sitting in front of Jude's ward, since we weren't allowed to enter. Only Mom was, and she came out after a few minutes, saying she didn't want to see anything.

After what felt like hours and hours of frustration, we were all called inside. Gray said he would not come in, but I pulled him in anyway.

"He's going to live."

With those few words from the nurse, my mother's face looked like she had been underwater for a long time, and now she had finally been able to come up for air.

"However, he will be crippled for the rest of his life." The nurse continued.

And that bit of news didn't affect me in the way it had in front of my house. I was more than glad my father would live, but now all my former feelings also lashed out at him. I didn't want to be there when he woke up. My mother needed that, but I did not. I had hardly known him before, and however selfish it might be of me to neglect him after this, I followed my mind and walked out with Gray. Yes, I still had some love for my estranged father, but I was no longer a part of his life, and there was no need for me to be involved in it again.

"Don't you want to—" Gray started, but I shook my head. "No, I don't. I prayed for him to live, and he did. But I'm not going to stay anymore."

And thankfully, Gray understood. My mother suddenly came out and said, "Lucy, I'm sure you want to get back. But I will be staying with him for a couple of days, alright?"

Anger flared up inside me for a second, because I was scared my mother would be hurt again. But I realized she knew what she was doing, and I nodded. "Where will you stay? I'm not letting you sleep here."

Mom hadn't thought of that, so she was silent for a moment, when Gray saved us again.

"That's no problem. My aunt stays here, very close. I can inform her and give you the directions."

Mom smiled—at last—and said, "Thank you so much…Gray, correct?"

I remembered he hadn't been introduced. "Yes, Mom. This is Gray Fullbuster."

"Fullbuster?" My mother frowned. "Is your aunt Madeline Fullbuster?"

Gray nodded. "Yeah, that's her. I forgot you used to live here. Do you know her house?"

"Yes, I think it is just three blocks away from here."

"That's correct."

"Good, it's settled then." I said. I hugged my mother, and told her I would go home with Gray.

"See, I told you, everything would be perfectly okay, Lucy." Gray smiled as we walked back to the Azure Town's station. He had called Madeline as soon as we had left the hospital, explaining the situation to her. Then he had called his mother to tell her that he would get home late.

I nodded and said, "Thanks so much, for everything."

"You shouldn't be feeling like I did something very great. Did you think I'd leave you alone?"

"No, you're right." I yawned and checked my watch. It was seven already. As we got into the train, I felt my eyelids drooping and fell asleep on Gray's shoulder. Maybe it was all the strain and pressure I had been under, since I usually didn't feel sleepy this early.

I woke up when I felt Gray shaking my shoulder. I sat up groggily and muttered, "Here already?"

He didn't answer and I turned to my left. Gray was looking worried, and I immediately asked what was wrong.

"Uh, we boarded the wrong train, Lucy." He said at last.

I felt cold fear grip my stomach, clenching it till I couldn't breathe, before I scolded myself for being a baby. I counted to ten, took a deep breath and said, "So, where are we right now?"

I noticed there were no passengers around us, and the train was motionless. I could see a dark forest outside, and the train tracks being in the middle of nowhere but empty brown roads and the forest, I couldn't make out our exact surroundings.

Gray bit his lip—a habit he had picked up from me—and replied, "Well, we seem to be on the outskirts of Azure Town."

"But that means that we are closer to Magnolia, right?"

Gray shook his head. "Not nearer. We are on the opposite borders, as in near the towns to Azure's west, while… Magnolia is to Azure's east."

I gulped and clenched the hand that was not gripping Gray, into a tight and sweaty fist. "Then," I struggled for some positive news. "Then where are all the passengers? Shouldn't someone be here? And why isn't the train moving?"

"I don't think anyone wanted to get off here. I was a fool to fall asleep too, so I didn't notice our surroundings. As for the driver, I'm guessing he thought everyone is off the train."

That was just plain stupid. It was impossible that he would think that. "But, he can't!" I choked on my words. "And even if that idiot did, the train can't just stand here in the middle of nowhere! We have to move!" I hated local trains.

Gray sighed. "I thought that too, but all the trains are here, Lucy. The ones that need to be repaired, or the ones which won't go anywhere for the night. I looked outside."

"Have you checked the front Gray?" I asked. That should have been the sensible thing to do, but I guessed that had slipped his mind amidst everything.

He shook his head, so we stood up and walked over to the driver's seat at the front. Oh, and I was so thankful when I saw him snoring and sprawled across his seat. The man looked surly and grumpy even in sleep, but I decided to dismiss that fact. His unshaven and dirty face was twitching as he snored.

"See?" I told Gray.

Gray looked like his birthday had come early, and he nodded. I shook the man, but he didn't move.

After lots of vain attempts on my part, Gray yelled into his ear and shook him again, more forcefully. The man woke up with a jolt and banged into the window.

He turned to us, and his brows furrowed. "What do you think you kids are doin' here at this time, eh?" his voice was raspy and unpleasant, I noted in my mind.

Gray replied for me, "We're sorry, sir. We took the wrong train by mistake. Could you please take us to Magnolia? We can pay you more money, I promise."

I was impressed at Gray's formality, but the man apparently wasn't. "I ain't going nowhere at this time, brats. You get out."

My temper rose. I was tired from everything, and even though Gray offered more money, this rude flamingo couldn't even drive us to Magnolia. And now he was trying to kick us out of the train? That was legally wrong!

"Look here Big Beard!" I said. "We have to get back, and we can't possibly get out here; there is nowhere to go to. We are paying you extra, so just take us to Magnolia." I felt like talking to a cab driver as I finished my lecture.

The man huffed finally. "And anyway, the train schedules of passengers are centrally controlled, you can't just refuse." I added.

"To kids I can."

"No, you can't. Come on Beardy! Extra money!"

The man gave up and agreed. "Fine, but you ain't forgetting your promise!"

We grinned and went back to our seats. I weakly collapsed onto them and closed my eyes. "This was a nightmare." I muttered.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Gray said, sitting down beside me.

I frowned. "This was not your fault! You helped with all this anyway."

The train started to move and I was about to sleep it off again, when my cell phone started to ring in my pocket. I cracked my sleepy eyes open, and took it out. "Who is it?" Gray asked.

I glanced at the caller ID and replied, "It's Mira. Hang on."

"Hello?" I said.

"Lucy! I forgot to remind you, do you remember you have to write out notices for all the classes informing about the art exhibition?"

My stomach felt hollow as I replied, "I did forget. Can't we just announce it in the hall? Everyone should know already!"

"No, we already tried that! The hall's closed for the exhibition. And that's the most irritating part, majority do know. But we have to write them anyway!"

I groaned. "Okay, thanks Mira, I'll try my best. Uh, how many notices?"

"Two for each class. But not the seniors, Cana is doing that."

"Okay, Bye." I hung up and stamped my foot in frustration. "What happened?" Gray asked, his face scrunched up in confusion.

"I have to make-" I did some quick calculations and continued. "Make forty notices for all the classes, including ours. Thankfully, not for the senior ones. I'm so stupid, Cana had told me on Monday morning, but after all the excitement with Mia, I had forgotten."

Gray sighed. "I'll help you." He said.

He had already done enough without giving his hands serious injury now. The computer in our house had no connections, and we had not bothered to fix it up after being used by our relatives already, so printing was not an option. I was not letting him hand-write with me.

"No, Gray! You'll go and get some sleep! Your entire evening—"I checked my watch, "—And night was spoiled because of me!"

Gray looked surprised. "You don't want to be all alone in that house, do you? And I have no problem with staying over Lucy, really."

I wanted to protest, but he silenced me; by preventing my lips to open with his own, and said, "It's final. Don't worry."

I gave in, partly because I was too tired to argue, and also because I really did want him to stay with me, instead of spending the night alone and writing out notices without getting any sleep. It would be too much for me to do. But I took a shot again.

"Your parents?" I tried.

Gray promptly called his mother again, and told her everything. She apparently agreed, so I had no more ammunition to fight with.

One hour later, we reached Magnolia. It had stopped raining, and the air was cool and refreshing as we paid the driver again, and went out. I felt guilty that Gray had spent money on the tickets as well as for personally paying the man. Honestly, the driver had practically robbed Gray.

We reached my house, and I opened it. It had been unlocked, but when I checked the rooms, fortunately nothing had been stolen; not that stealing from us would help any thief.

Gray followed me to my room, and I switched on the light. "Where's the paper?" he asked.

I pointed to a heap of sheets beside my unfinished novel. I always kept all the paper for writing more chapters.

There was only one chair, so we kept everything on the carpet, and sat down. I divided the sheets into four, so that less paper was wasted, and began to write out the stupid notices.

After three hours, or more, they were finally finished. I glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly midnight. I looked at Gray, who looked distinctly sleepy and tired. "Sorry for all this. It's done though." I said.

"Would you stop apologizing?" Gray muttered. I grinned weakly. "Is there any guest room?" he added.

I shook my head and said, "No, but you can take Mom's room. Or mine if you want."

"Yours." He replied promptly. I laughed and agreed.

I was too worn out to even change, so I went to the opposite room, found my way to the oh-so-inviting bed, pulled the covers on top of me, and fell asleep immediately.

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**I hope you guys liked this :) And also that this was not boring! About continuing with Natsu's confession, I will do it in the next chapter. Please review everyone, I'm desperate to know whether you all liked this chapter or not! I'll update as fast as possible :)**


	9. Chapter 9- A Room for a Promise

**Hey guys, I am so very sorry a million time over, for updating this late, please forgive me! I had a lot going on with school and stuff. And thanks so much all my new reviewers, followers and favouriters- Guest, strawhat1227, katara196, and phoenixflamemarauder. Also thanks to lucyglitter11, SimplyIsabelleS and kjayanimefan for major support.**

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**Chapter Nine- A Room for a Promise**

I felt someone poking my cheek. I frowned and buried my face into my pillow. Now my head was being poked. I sat up in the bed and saw an amused Gray leaning over me.

"Knock it off!" I complained.

"You made funny faces when I did it." He shrugged.

I rubbed my eyes like a kid and jumped out of the bed. I crossed the corridor to my own room, took out my clothes from the wardrobe and made my way back and into the second bathroom.

Gray was examining some pictures on the bedside table when I walked in again. I dumped the clothes on the bed and waited. He turned around as I coughed.

"Yeah?"

"I have to change."

"Sure, who's stopping you?" Since when did Gray become my personal Natsu? I raised my eyebrows meaningfully, but that didn't help.

"That was code for GET OUT OF THE ROOM!" I said finally.

"Oh right." I went and pushed him out before the slamming the door shut.

After I was over with my bath and changing, I went down the stairs to find something to eat. I usually depended on my mother to have something ready, so I ended up swallowing a burnt piece of toast. Gray came down, his hair wet and wearing the same dirty clothes from yesterday, just as I finished.

"You can't even make toast without burning it?" Gray chuckled.

I rolled my eyes. "Make your own." I muttered. I quickly glanced at the clock and saw that we still had fifteen minutes; Gray had woken me up early. I think this was the first school morning in ages that I had been able to take everything slow.

By the time I had taken a trip to my room to get my bag and back, Gray was already seated at the table, eating two perfectly un-burnt toasts with butter on them.

"Did you know that the Sports Day is coming up?" he said conversationally.

I groaned and replied, "Nope. When is it?"

"Somewhere next week. What's wrong with you and sports?"

I shook my head at the question. "You haven't seen me."

I gave up on trying to stuff all forty notices into my bag and resorted to carrying them. "Come on now," I said. Gray nodded and we came out of the house. In yesterday's worries I had lost my spare key of the house, but I guessed it didn't really matter.

As we walked to school, I kept feeling like I was forgetting something, but no matter how much I racked my brains I couldn't remember as usual. We reached, and I quickly put the notices in the office before going to my locker. The minute I did though, Juvia and Erza pounced on me. I hadn't even expected Erza to come back to school this fast, so I was surprised. Gray just ruffled my hair and walked off.

"Lucy! Please tell me you remembered!" My red-haired friend grabbed my jacket and glared at me desperately and fiercely.

I slowly detached myself from her and said, "Uh, remember what exactly? If you're talking about the Sports—"

"No, not that!" Juvia cried. "It's Levy's birthday tomorrow!"

My mouth popped open as I slapped my forehead. "We are so dead." I muttered. "And where is she?" I added.

"Where's who?" I whirled around with Juvia and Erza and saw the soon-to-be birthday girl staring at me with a confused expression.

"Uh, Mira!" Juvia quickly replied.

I thanked her with my eyes and turned back to Levy, who didn't look very convinced. "But you guys seem really worried." Then her expression suddenly turned mischievous. "What, did Lucy get another love-letter?"

Of all the possibilities, she decided on that. Though for once I was glad, that didn't mean I would make up a letter; I had no time. "No Levy, of course not! Juvia must have been worried about her Chemistry exam." I explained, trying to sound upbeat.

Levy was apparently tired of firing at us, because she walked over to her locker. As soon as she did, Juvia, Erza and I formed a huddle.

"Okay, we all go out shopping after school and find gifts for her, alright?" I suggested. "I'll manage the cake." Erza added. Of course she would; I had learned her love for cakes very soon, and she would probably eat ten cakes herself before ordering Levy's.

"Hey guys!" Mira finally arrived, and her cheerful smile faltered at our expressions as she came closer.

"What's wrong?" I quickly explained the situation to her, and she had the opposite reaction of what we expected.

"Oh that? Yeah, I already got a book for her last week; the one she was going crazy for since forever."

Mirajane stopped at our demonic glares as I accused her without a proper logic; "Mira! Why didn't you remind us?" She shrugged, smiling again. "I thought you wouldn't need reminding. Chill, we still have time."

"But we need to do something other than a cupcake, a chair and a table," Erza mused. I gave her a quizzical look and she expanded; "Last year we wanted to do something big, but everything fell apart, and we ended with practically nothing. So we don't want a repeat."

We exchanged a few more whispered discussions before I nodded, and noticed Levy coming back. We had gotten so much time to talk as she had been busy talking with a boy named Gajeel. He had long black hair and metal piercings covering almost every part of his body. When Levy had gushed over him before, I hadn't paid attention to the description since I had been too busy laughing at his name.

"Come on Lucy! English!" Levy called happily, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Okay, see you guys later." I whispered to the rest of my friends, and went and put an arm around Levy's small shoulders. "Yeah let's go, Little Blue!" I said.

* * *

"Please Gray!"

"No way, I'm not helping out in this one!"

I pouted; Gray was making me feel guilty by indirectly reminding me of everything that he had done for me, but I tried again, this time fluffing up my hair and applying that 'cute girl charm'.

"Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

He looked at me for ten seconds before grinning, "Nope." I huffed and crossed my arms in response.

We were sitting in English class and Gildarts was merrily drumming on his desk after setting us some work, which no one except a bunch of dorks were doing in a corner. Levy was staring intently out of the window and occasionally doodling on her notebook, so I took that as an opening to persuade Gray in helping us out with setting up the party for Levy. After all, "Just gifts won't do," Erza had quoted. "When we do something big, we do it in style."

So I batted my eyelashes and tried to make Gray melt, but he didn't want to miss his 'awesome, one-time, golden opportunity, live football match' with Rogue and a blonde boy called Sting in the evening. So my wonderful attempts didn't turn out too wonderful at all.

As the bell rang for Math, I flashed a triumphant glare at my boyfriend. "Don't think I'm letting this one go! We still have two classes left!"

"Actually," Gray smiled. "I'm bunking Math."

If this had been a cartoon show, smoke would have been coming out of my nostrils and ears. "Why?" I demanded.

"Makarov asked me to help him out with a few things, and plus the Math teacher has been giving me the stink eye ever since I dropped my soda on him by accident on the street."

"Oh really? And out of all the people in the school, why would the headmaster call for you?" I was exasperated on one side and impressed at Gray's excuses on the other.

But he just laughed and skipped away saying, "Maybe because I'm the best!"

I shook my head and came out of the classroom when Levy caught up and asked, "Why are you looking so hyper since morning?" "Oh, it's nothing Levy." I dismissed the subject, entered my class and slammed my book down.

Levy couldn't find a seat beside me, so she went behind. And the reason she had to do that was because Natsu was sitting to my right. He was not sleeping in this class—which was a huge development I must say—and had a serious expression on his usually goofy face.

"Lucy, you can't keep avoiding me!" he complained.

I scowled at him. "I'm really not in the mood Nat—"

"No more of your excuses! Just…just answer can't you?" an enraged Natsu cut in.

I was about to 'answer' with a total and point blank rejection, when Cana suddenly rushed up to him. She was lucky the teacher wasn't there yet.

"Listen Dragneel, the party is cancelled; Violet caught a fever, so we won't be needing the ball room."

My ears perked up at the words 'party' and 'ball room' as I eavesdropped. Well not exactly, since I was sitting right in front of them, but I listened in anyway.

"What about the decorations? Not fair! Now I have to take them down again! Why did Violet have to be sick now?" Natsu whined with a million problems all at once.

Cana shrugged apologetically; "Sorry. Maybe you can use it for something else except the graduation celebration." I remembered Violet and her friends were graduating this year; she was a nice person, very soft. That was what Cana must have been talking about. She ran off just as our teacher came in.

"Shoot, Elfman's here." Natsu muttered blackly.

Elfman looked nothing like an elf, unless you count a huge, white-haired man as one. But I had learned that at Crosswell, no teacher had a proper name. Elfman rapped on the desk for attention and announced a surprise test. Everyone groaned, but I was still thinking of parties. As the papers were passed around, for the first time I felt glad that this school was slower compared my old one, which meant I already knew the topic. I quickly wrote down the answers and waited for an opening.

After five minutes the teacher went out of the classroom to talk to someone and I immediately bent my head down to my paper, and whispered to Natsu, "Hey listen! I was wondering if me and my friends could use that ball room Cana was talking about. Could we, please? It's Levy's birthday tomorrow, and since I already found a place for a party this fast, I'd be really glad if we could borrow it for one evening."

Natsu, who had been cursing under his breath and sweating profusely at the test paper, now looked overjoyed when I spoke to him normally, instead of being my usual rude self that I was around him.

"Y-Yeah sure!" he said hurriedly, before realizing his leverage in the situation. I mentally groaned; I had been thinking he would remain as dense as ever.

"But what do I get in return?" Before I could reply, he answered his own question. " I know, you have to kiss me in return!"

Whatever I had been expecting, it was not what Natsu had dared to say. I gaped at him. "No!" I said defiantly. Just looking at his lips gave me the creeps.

"Then forget the party." Oh, why did Natsu suddenly morph into a sensible person? Or at least sensible enough to argue this well?

But Levy's birthday kept nagging at my mind, so I gave in. What else could I do? There was no way the rest of us would be able to get an entire party ready with food and all by the next day.

Scrunching my eyes shut I muttered, "Fine Dragneel! You can…kiss me! But after the party! And I'm not paying for anything save the food."

"Deal!" Natsu smirked. And then: "Promise me!"

I sighed heavily, promised grudgingly, and submitted my paper to Elfman as he came back into the room at the conveniently right time.

Gray really had really good intuitions when it came to ditching class or not; if he had been here, he would have had to give the test—and also know about me and Natsu's bargain. How in the world would I tell him? But after struggling with my thoughts a lot, I decided not to tell him anything at all. So, it was very guiltily that I trudged off to Physics where Gray had decided to be present.

"Not ditching this one?" I asked.

"Nope, I missed you!" Gray teased.

I smiled, but inside my guilt jar was threatening to explode. I explained that I had managed to get a place for the party—at which Gray looked relieved—but left out the deal.

After school I told Gray that Erza, Juvia and I would go shopping, so he decided to go back and play his latest video games instead of hanging around girls buying stuff—which always took a lot of time.

As for Levy, I borrowed three movies from Rogue, and gave them to her saying, "These are awesome, you should totally watch them! And I actually have to go to a shop; To exchange a few things, so I'll see you later!" Before Levy could thank me or start to feel suspicious about my abruptness, I rushed off.

Juvia, Erza and I walked along the pavements looking at shops here and there. These were even farther away from school, the ones I had seen on my first day. It was bustling with people, like everyone wanted the same thing as us, and there were also various chocolate shops which got me distracted before Juvia pulled me off with a "Juvia doesn't think this is the time for sweets!"

"Hey Lucy, books aren't the only things she likes! We can get her a few CDs." Erza suggested. I noticed a shop and agreed. But there was nothing good there, so we tried a clothes' shop, but eventually after an hour or so, we ended up in a small, neglected little place near an alley which had dirty and unmaintained buildings.

The shop itself was sweet though, and as we went in, I noticed a number of things, starting from souvenirs to good-luck charms and small purses. I liked a locket which had a tiny crystal heart that threw rainbows a lot bigger than itself onto the walls, Erza came back with a bag, and Juvia appeared with several hair accessories. Levy always looked cute with them, so I decided they were a good choice.

"Great! Who knew this tiny place would be this convenient?" I exclaimed. My enthusiasm ebbed slightly at the price we had to pay, but I guessed it was worth it.

As we walked back, we decided to have a bite at a small place, so we went and sat down at one of the tables. I realized that I really needed to tell them about the deal, so I coughed and drummed my fingernails against the wood while we waited for sandwiches.

"What's up Luce?" Erza asked.

"Well, for starters I got a place for free where we can hold Levy's party," I started, as my friends' eyes lit up at the news. Slowly, as I proceeded in how I managed it, their mouths dropped open and Juvia raised her eyebrows so high I thought they would disappear into her hair.

"You what?" Erza yelled. "Ouch, don't shout!" I protested covering my ears.

After both of them calmed down, Erza said, "Well, I think you have to go with it, it's just once, so it can't hurt."

I nodded, relieved to get it off my chest. We ate and made our way back home, discussing the people to call and the food to order. Juvia and I went ahead as Erza entered her favorite cake shop for Levy's cake, and we knew she would spend quite some time there. Juvia said goodbye as I reached my house, and I went straight up to my room after giving a quick call to my mother.

I checked my cell phone to see a message from Levy which said that one of the movies was awesome, and also that her parents had gifted her a small white kitten. I remembered Levy loved kittens and smiled, texting her back. I also texted another bunch of people who I knew would come to Levy's party.

Then I put my phone down, and leaned back in my chair, wondering how borrowing a room could cost this much.

* * *

**Okay, I hope you all like this :) Thanks again for reviewing, and I will try to update as fast as I can, really I will. Please review guys! :)**


	10. Chapter 10- Make a Wish

**Lots of thanks to my new reviewers, favouriters and followers- animebunny23, animefan104, Shorty333 and all my other story followers who are amazing.**

* * *

**Chapter Ten- Make a Wish**

"Just how rich are you?" I blurted out, before clamping my hand over my mouth.

Natsu frowned. "That's rude."

I nodded. "Sorry. But this is huge; it must have cost you a lot."

Natsu shrugged, like renting the huge ball-room as big as a football stadium was no big deal at all, not to mention the stage at the far end, the furniture and the massive music system.

It was right after school, and Juvia was with Levy at her home, distracting her until it was time for the celebration. The rest of us had dashed off to the ball-room with Natsu, dumped our bags somewhere backstage, and started to run about getting the party ready.

The ball-room was situated right beside the Dragneel mansion, and I had been more awed at where Natsu lived than the ball-room. It was a typical rich estate, with its marble fountains in the middle of the garden and the porcelain pillars.

Mira had managed to get an incredibly large silver banner with 'Happy Birthday Levy' written on it in a glittering blue—how she had succeeded in doing that within half a day I had no clue— and now Erza and Mira were hanging it up on a ladder while Natsu and I were working on the confusing plugs and wires of the music system. Everything else was finished, except the delivery of the cake.

After another half an hour, the enormous place looked perfect; the banner was sparkling and flashing its words proudly, the tables and chairs were to the previously vacant left side, the food was to the right, the lights had been adjusted enough to make the place a bit dim, the music was playing away, the stage was ready with its midnight blue curtains swaying, and there was enough space for dancing. Natsu had even managed to get a chocolate fountain which got me drooling at once.

The only problem was, the cake still hadn't arrived, and now lots of people were beginning to stream in through the gigantic wooden, gold-framed doors.

"Lucy, call Juvia and tell her that Levy can come now!" Mira hissed beside me. The cries of 'Where's the birthday girl?' were increasing, and some boy had already smeared his face with cheese and tomatoes.

I nodded and backed away into a corner. Gray had said he would be arriving late because of the match, so he was not a problem at the moment. I dialed Juvia and she picked up on the second ring.

"Lucy, can we come now? Levy's getting impatient, and Juvia is going crazy with her jumping up and down."

"Yeah, bring her." I replied. "And she's got the red dress on, right?"

"Obviously!" If I could have seen her, Juvia would have been rolling her eyes at my stupidity.

The story Juvia had fed Levy, was that we were going for a simple girls' night out, and surprisingly she had believed her. I also gave a ring to the bakery, and after chewing them out for a two hour delay, they promised to send the cake in twenty minutes.

"Lucy! Get changed right now!" Erza called, just as I shut my phone. I ran up to her, and we both went backstage, where Mira looked dazzling in her light pink dress with sequins.

I was still in my paint-stained clothes which were even dirtier from working, so I badly needed fresh clothes. I slipped into a sparkling purple top with black straps, and got a pair of black shorts with silver chains hanging around the pockets on.

"Why are these things dangling from my pockets?" I asked Mira, who made a face of mock horror. "That's fashion Lucy, fashion!"

So I went along with 'fashion', and somewhere in the process, Mira even talked me into heels, or as she corrected, 'Stilettos', which was all Greek to me.

But honestly, it's pointless trying to look good at a party with Erza near you. The blue strapless dress fitted her so perfectly, it made me feel jealous.

Just as we were going out, we heard cheers from people outside, and we peeked around the curtains to see Levy arriving with Juvia and Gajeel. Her reaction was priceless; she blushed at first, then yelled something at Juvia while half laughing, then ran around in circles, then suddenly grabbed Gajeel and began to dance to the music. Seeing her, everyone joined in, and from somewhere Natsu dimmed the lights as much as possible and ignited the disco lights. But I was glad that I could at least make out what was happening, since I hated it when there was nothing but red and yellow lights to depend upon when you are trying to see.

Gray texted me once, saying he was sorry but he would miss the party as Sting was insisting on going to a place, so I texted that it was fine, as long as he was not going to a strip club.

The three of us came out and I rushed up to hug Levy. "Happy Birthday!" I said.

She punched me on the arm grinning, and said, "You could've just told me, idiot! Thanks so much!"

"I'm the best!" I quoted. Then I dragged her into a corner—much to Gajeel's disappointment—and gave her the locket. Erza, Mira and Juvia took their turns too, and Levy squealed hysterically, gushed over them, and then suddenly ran off into the crowd again.

"Lucy, what about the cake?" Mira asked. I checked my watch to see twenty minutes were long gone.

"It should be here by now." I muttered.

"Lucy!" I heard Natsu shouting, told my friends to wait, and made my way towards him.

"What?" I asked. At first, he looked me up and down without shame for a good two minutes, and then breathed out, "You look amazing!", so I punched his head and demanded, "Stop that, and tell me why you called me."

"Oh right. Yeah well the cake's here, so—" "Why didn't you say so?" I muttered, and pushed past him and out of the doors. A man had brought it in, and when I opened the lid, my eyes narrowed and I served my best demonic look to the poor guy.

"You messed up the order!" I yelled. In the box, there was a medium sized strawberry cake with the usual birthday message, but the age was also written in pink icing, and Levy certainly was not six years old.

"Sorry, ma'am, I only deliver, you have to—"

"Get the right one now! It's vanilla with three stands, and the age written on it is seventeen, not six! GET GOING!" I glared until the man scampered off with the promise of getting the right one.

"Wow Lucy, you traumatized him for life," Natsu remarked as we came in again. I shot him a dirty look, called him an useless penguin, and stalked back to Erza.

Everyone was enjoying themselves, and there were some food fights going on in a corner, which I knew would be pointless in attempting to stop, and a few people were singing along on the stage whenever their favorite songs came up.

Suddenly, someone stopped the music, and Levy came up on stage. "Alright people!" she yelled. "Now, my friend is going to sing! And her name is Lucy Heartfilia!"

I froze and tried to hide behind a chair when a boy grabbed my arm and yelled, "She's here! Come on, get up and do the tunes!" I remembered his name was Fried, and that he didn't know me very well.

"No, I am Madison Waters!" I protested.

Fried raised his eyebrows and dragged me up on the stage. As soon as I clutched the microphone, I suddenly realized I really did want to sing. So I grinned, rubbed my nose, and sang one of my favorite songs. Everyone fell silent, and when I finished, the whole room exploded in claps as I blushed with pleasure.

Then a really beautiful singer in our school, Lyra, came up and we began to sing together as people cheered.

When I finally came down from the stage, I saw a group of people huddled around Levy and Gajeel, urging them to kiss, which they did. I laughed in amazement while the boys whistled. I told Erza to calm down when she started to glare daggers at Gajeel, since she didn't approve of metal piercings very much.

Sometime after, the correct cake arrived, and I paid the man— much to his relief. Levy jumped when she saw it, and danced up near the table on which it was set. Once we were done blowing the candles, she closed her eyes, put her arms around Juvia, Erza, Mira and me, and silently made a wish. Then of course, once the 'moment' was over, the inevitable cake fight started, and I had to wash my face thrice after receiving white sugar roses right on my forehead.

It was almost eleven, and people were still dancing away, so I went out of the room to get some fresh air. I could see the statues and fountains in the Dragneel mansion from there, and the immense noise from the party inside was fainter as I leaned against the walls.

"Now it's your turn." I didn't have to look to see who was talking; it was Natsu, and I couldn't avoid my side of the bargain any longer. As he said those few words, I sighed and faced him.

"Natsu, this is going to be the first and the last time, so don't get your hopes up."

Natsu grinned and said smugly, "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it."

And before I could buy more time with sarcastic words, Natsu grabbed my waist, pulled me closer and knotted his right hand into my hair. The move was not unexpected, but it was way too sudden, so I naturally struggled as his lips collided with my protesting ones.

Then I realized struggling was no help, so I stood perfectly still and waited. But though I was still pushing at him vainly, I was not exactly applying my best efforts to pull myself away, so I blamed that part on his tight grip.

"Stay still Lucy, or I'll do this is in front of everybody else." Natsu threatened as he finally broke away for a moment.

"Too late." A smooth voice said from behind Natsu, and I managed to push him aside to see the person I hated the most. Mia was standing there, smirking as a sign of victory and triumph, and the worst part was that she had a camera in her hands. I noticed the picture already sliding out from beneath—it was an old-fashioned camera—and into Mia's waiting hands.

Natsu growled and went up to her, but I knew that wouldn't help; this time, force was not going to work. So I yanked the boy back roughly, and pushed him against the wall.

"You've done enough damage." I whispered menacingly.

"It was a deal, Lucy!" Natsu yelled.

"Well, that doesn't matter now, does it?" Mia slurred, and I felt like punching her, but resisted the urge.

Then I did something which was both pathetic and weak, but I was desperate. I pleaded to Mia; "Listen, there was a bargain, I don't like Dragneel! Please, can't we just make a truce Mia?"

Mia looked surprised. "Truce? What are we, soldiers on the war field? No thank you, you should have thought of that before reading out my personal thoughts." Even as she said it, she flinched at the memory, and inside I felt a moment of triumph which dissipated quickly.

"You had done things to me for no reason." I retorted.

"Whatever." She shrugged.

I was beginning see red, but I controlled myself. "And why are you here anyway? No one invited you!" I spat.

"I heard Gray was going to be here, otherwise I don't come to such lame parties," Mia stopped here for a second, smiling at my seething form. "Sad he's not here, but it turns out I got a lot out of a dork party, yes?"

"Mia, please! Just…just don't show that to anyone, please!" I was pleading again. Then her reply surprised me. "Okay, I won't tell or show it to anyone, except one person."

This was not going anywhere good, and I braced myself for the worst, even though I knew who that 'one person' was.

"Gray gets to have the honour."

Before I could rip out the picture or argue or even plead more, Mia took off, right past the fountains and near a sleek and shiny black Mercedes waiting at the gate. I raced after her just as she got in, and it raced off, leaving me in the dust.

"Lucy, I—" I heard Natsu's voice and turned around, a dozen emotions playing through me. But I had no time to murder him, I had to do something more important.

"Tell Levy and the others I had to leave," I whispered as I ran out past the gates and into the shadows of the trees near a lone pavement, my shirt sticking to me in the heat. I checked my phone and saw that it was almost midnight, which meant Gray must be home by now.

I ran like I had never run before, and unlike every Sports Day, I did not stumble or slow down. After several minutes I reached the neighbourhood which Gray had described to me back at school. I had no idea which house was his, so I looked around until I found a name plate with 'Fullbuster' carved on it. The house was bigger than mine, and looked comfortable, but I had no time for that now.

I was about to ring the bell, when the door opened and Mia came out, smirking her hugest yet.

"Have fun, Lucy." She whispered in my ear, as I looked up on the porch where a stricken and angry Gray was standing, a picture clutched in his left hand.

"Gray, I have to explain what actually happened. I don't know what Mia told you, but—"

"Tell me that picture was fake Lucy." I could hear betrayal in his voice, and I was tearing up inside. Before I even answered, he looked completely pissed.

"It wasn't." I whispered.

Gray's face was unreadable now, even though a caught a few emotions dance across it; hard to notice in the dim porch light.

Before he could say anything, I poured out the whole story, in my messed up, stammering way. "So…so he kissed me. I swear I didn't want it Gray, really." I finished after a few minutes.

Gray closed his eyes for a minute, and pinched the bridge of his nose while I waited anxiously. It was like I was a victim, and he was the judge who would decide on whether I was to live or to die. I was suddenly wanting it to be my birthday instead, so that what I was fervently wishing for right now would somehow come true.

Finally, he opened his eyes, much to my relief. "You're not lying right?" The words stung; as if I could lie to him in this situation. But I shook my head anyway. "Of course not!"

"And you'll never kiss Natsu again?" I shook my head once again, before I realized he had not said 'You won't kiss anyone else again', but used Natsu's name instead.

"Then go back to the party and wish Levy happy birthday from me."

I couldn't remember being this happy ever. I knew I had been very unfair to Gray, and yet he had forgiven me with an unspoken agreement. I jumped up and hugged him and yelled all at once, "I'm so sorry! Thanks so much! I'll make it up to you, I promise! And can't you just come to the party with me?"

Gray laughed and said, "If you use so many feelings at once, you'll explode. And I want to watch the highlights of the match again, so nope, I'm not coming."

Gray and his football match. I released him, and then snatched the picture from his hands. I tore it up right from the middle, threw Natsu's part into the nearest bush, and kept my part in my pocket.

"Since I don't want to waste such a beautiful picture of me." I explained to Gray.

* * *

I went back to the Dragneel estate, and a joyful Levy bounded up and asked, "Where were you? You missed Juvia slipping on a French-fry and falling right onto the pizza with extra cheese."

I laughed and replied, "I'll tell you about it later." I wasn't going to explain that evening in a hurry, but I said it anyway.

The party didn't last long after midnight, and everyone filed out except Cana, who was hugging a bottle of alcohol and refusing to let go. I didn't see Natsu, but I dismissed him from my mind as Erza and Mira tried to get pepperoni off of Juvia's face while Levy and I cheered for them to go on.

I was sure that Natsu was not giving up yet, but I didn't care at that moment, because birthday or not, my wish had come true.

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**I hope this was good enough, little worried! I am going to try and update as fast as I did for this chapter :) Please review guys, thanks :)**


	11. Chapter 11- Maid Café

**Lots of thanks to my new reviewers, followers and favouriters- dianaloveanime, animebunny23 and devilhuntermistress. Thanks to lucyglitter11 too, for reviewing in all my chapters.**

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**Chapter Eleven- Maid Café **

I was so glad it was Saturday; I could finally relax after my packed week. I lay on my bed and counted everything that had happened in the past week off my fingers, listening to my favorite songs.

My mother had called me to inform that she would be coming back on Sunday, so I had the house to myself, but my relaxation time didn't last for long. I heard someone ringing the door bell and pounding away so hard, I could make it out even through the music.

I groaned, slung my headphones around my neck and ran downstairs yelling at the person to stop hammering already. When I opened my door, I saw Natsu standing there.

"Are you trying to break my door down before I break your face down?" I asked sweetly.

Natsu scowled and said curtly, "No I was not. You didn't hear the first four times that I rang the bell."

"People usually assume that no one is at home when that happens, Dragneel," I retorted.

"Your window was open, and I could see you from the street." Natsu countered, as if we were playing some verbal volleyball match. I made a mental note to seal my window with tape later on.

"Whatever stalker, why are you here?"

I almost laughed when Natsu returned to his normal stupid self as bewilderment flashed across his face at the word 'stalker', before he shoved his hand into his pocket and brought out something. I looked at his palm curiously, and saw a pair of black earrings.

"You left these backstage yesterday, and I had to snatch them away from the cleaner." Natsu explained.

I remembered I really had forgotten my earrings while changing yesterday at the party, not to mention my dirty clothes too.

"Well, thank you for going through so much trouble Superman," I said, taking the accessories away. "And what about my clothes?"

"Huh?" Great, the normal Dragneel was back. I pulled at my shirt and said very slowly, as if speaking to a five year old.

"Clothes!"

"I have no idea; there was nothing else except some slices of cake and a soda bottle there." Natsu replied.

I nodded; I could afford losing them, it was not a big deal. Plus, I didn't really want Natsu carrying my clothes to me anyway.

"How did you know these were mine?" I asked suddenly, shifting my weight onto my left foot.

Natsu shrugged. "You were wearing them at school." I noted how observant he was, but dismissed it almost at once. I decided I had wasted my precious Saturday enough with Natsu, so I ended the conversation; "Aright, thank you. Bye."

I was about to close the door, when Natsu suddenly yelled out in surprise, lost his balance from the porch, and fell right on top of me. He was pretty heavy, so I went down onto the wooden floor; and in that awkward position we stayed for one good minute before I screamed and kicked him off me, scrambling up from the ground.

"What do you think you're doing, you great big, lumbering, useless, fat chimpanzee? You stupid, clumsy, good-for-nothing piece of rotten cheese! Flapping, crazy, weirdo, perverted flamingo!" My words flowed like an angry ocean current.

The door was still open, and some of the neighbors opposite opened their windows and glared at me to keep quiet. Then I suddenly noticed Levy, who was shaking with silent laughter at our gate, with a white kitten curled up in her arms. I also saw Erza and Mira coming to join her, looking puzzled at the scene.

I took a breath, slammed my headphones down on a table near the stairs, and went up to my friends, neatly stepping over Natsu.

"What happened?" I demanded, my eyes narrowing.

Levy finished her giggling and explained, "Nothing, we were heading over to your place, when I saw Natsu, so I just released Candy. She jumped and snuggled into Natsu's neck, but he went berserk and…well you know the rest." Levy started to laugh again.

Oh, so Natsu hadn't done that on purpose? I felt a little bad; after all he had just helped me, so I went back to him. He was propped up on one elbow, and I offered him a hand which he refused.

"Forget it Heartfilia." He muttered, and I was momentarily shocked at his usage of my last name, but shrugged it off.

"I'm sorry; I thought you were just being a pervert." I said, as he got up and brushed his jeans. At my words, his eyes suddenly lit up and he grinned his goofy grin again; "Did you like it?"

All my regret vanished, and I punched him in the face. "Just go home! And stop laughing Levy!" I added as she continued in the background.

Natsu's cell phone began to ring, and he answered it. Then his face got excited and he shouted, "I'm coming!"

As he rushed past us, I asked him, "What happened?"

"There's this awesome place where Fried wants me to go! I'll see you later!" he called as he ran off. I let out a cry of frustration at the last part, but then remembered Levy and turned to her.

"Okay, so first of all 'Candy' is the weirdest name a cat can have," I started as Levy pouted and protested. "And secondly, why are you ruining my holiday?"

"Ask Mira." She said. "Oh, and here are your clothes, we found them later."

I took them and then turned to Mira who was beaming, and waited. "Can we come in first?" Erza suggested, to which I agreed and took them up to my room, closing the door shut.

One everyone was seated on my poor, solitary bed; I leaned against my wardrobe and raised my eyebrows at Mira.

"Lucy, do you want to get more money? To buy something?" Mira began. I was surprised, but then I thought some new books or the dresses at 'La Robe' all of us had fallen in love with—much to my surprise since I usually hated shopping—would be nice to buy. I was almost broke after the party anyway.

I nodded. "Yeah, but why? Or rather how?"

Mira now looked a bit careful with her words. "Well, there's this café I found out about in a magazine, and I know the manager. So we could probably go work in it for one day, perhaps? Just to see if it's any good."

What good would it be if we just worked for one day? But then, it was not like I needed a part-time job right away, I needed money to buy other stuff. And there was something that Mira was not telling me.

"Is the pay any good?" I asked. Mira nodded, and gestured to Erza, who took out a crumpled up magazine bit from her purse and handed it to me. She had torn it in such a way, I could only see the money; which would be absolutely enough for the dress. I was feeling suspicious, there was no way I could work for one day and get this much money.

"Uh, what kind of a café is this Mira?" I mumbled, as I ran my fingers through the numbers. I had meant it as a rhetorical question, but Mira coughed and said, "It's actually a—don't freak out Luce—a maid café."

Wear stupid dresses, call people 'master' and 'mistress', smile all the time, and serve dainty little cups of tea to rich gossiping ladies? No thank you.

"No way Mira! Are you crazy?" I said.

Erza stood up, and said, "Come on Luce, it's just for one day!"

"Why only one day then? Why aren't you trying to lace me into a whole year or something?" I asked.

"Ok fine, we'll tell you. We just really want those dresses!" Erza moaned. What a lame excuse. "But why me?" I cried.

"That's because we know you want them too! And personally, it'll be fun, really!" Levy squealed.

I sighed and pointed out; "The last time you said that, you sent me out on a date with Loke."

"Please, please, please! This will be fun, and we can get so much money out of it! Think of the books! The one and only dress you ever liked! It's very near Magnolia, takes half an hour by train!"

I was about to give in, I knew it was no help since they would talk me into it anyway. The money kept lingering in my mind, and even though all this was entirely stupid, I decided to give it a shot. This happened every time my friends wanted to try out something new.

"Fine, whatever." I mumbled, glowering at Candy.

Erza, Mira and Levy did some weird dance around my room when my phone started to ring. I went out of my room and out into the corridor to see Juvia calling. I answered it, and at once she began to say something so fast, I had to shout at her to calm down.

"What's wrong?" I asked at last.

"Juvia can't come to the maid café!" she wailed, blubbering away something in French.

Honestly, I had no idea why she was so upset about it, but I asked anyway, "Why not? Where are you?"

"Juvia's stuck at home, with Juvia's cousin brother! He's just six, so Juvia has been told to take care of him!" Those words followed another wail, so I consoled her for a few minutes before she returned to normal.

"Okay, bye Lucy, have fun." She sniffed.

I hung up and informed the others who were almost as disappointed, but recovered quickly. Erza and Mira grabbed both my arms, Levy scooped Candy up, and I was literally flown down the stairs and out of the house.

"But can't I have something to eat first?" I whined, as my friends pulled me towards the station.

When we reached, Mira bought some chocolate from a local shop in order to keep me silent throughout the trip, so I munched on that happily while we sat in the train. I really had no idea when they had managed to get tickets before I agreed, but I had come to realize that asking wouldn't help; my friends always seemed to cook up stuff like these, rational or not.

We arrived at the place, and I noticed it was just an extended part of Magnolia. The streets were clean, and there was lots of greenery. There were even more shops and stores here, and after a few minutes, I noticed a frosted-glass door with a wooden frame and sign that said Maid Café.

"Come on, let's go." Levy said excitedly. Suddenly, I noticed Candy was not in her arms, but she had definitely taken her when we were coming out of the house.

"Where's Candy?" I asked.

"Later," Levy whispered as we made our way towards a cheerful girl near the kitchen door.

"Inside please; good to see you Mirajane." She added. "Oh the rest of you, I'm Verity." So we went inside the kitchen which was huge, and I could see a door leading to another room on the left. There were several silver counters with pans, plates and cups decked on them.

"You must be Ms. Scarlet, Ms. McGarden, and Ms. Heartfilia correct?" she said.

"Yes, that's right." I confirmed. I had forgotten she already knew Mira. After the usual greetings, she led us through the other door and gave us the uniforms, before bustling out again.

"I hope this is worth the money." I muttered, as I tried to put on those annoying black stockings.

"Don't worry Luce," Erza said. Of course she was already ready and beautiful. I finally finished and examined myself. "Stupid dress, stupid dainty apron, stupid lacy sleeves and collar, stupid stockings and stupid pointy shoes. Good, I look lovely." I said.

We came back into the kitchen where Verity immediately came in and spoke to another girl who was making some cookies, giving her some orders.

Then she turned to us and said, "Ms. McGarden, take the two cakes and two coffees to table number two," she began, ticking off names in a list as she spoke.

Levy took the plates and went out, while Erza and Mira did the same after getting their orders. I waited, smoothing my hair back when Verity said, "Okay, Ms. Heartfilia; please take the five cakes, three puddings, three plates of sandwiches, and two coffees to table number nine."

I staggered under the plates as I carried them out. I had been thinking there were at least five people who were going to finish all this off, but I almost dropped the food when I saw the customers. Natsu and Fried were goggling at Erza whose back was to them, and were grinning like fools, sitting at just the table I was serving. What a pervert Natsu was.

I slammed the plates down and coughed. "Your food, masters." I was surprised at how smooth and level my voice sounded. It seemed like Natsu managed to turn up everywhere I went, so I was a bit irritated.

"Lucy?" he exclaimed awed, looking at me just like last night, in a very unashamed manner and in just the wrong places.

I shook my head and smiled tightly. "No master. My name is Get-the-hell-out-of-here Heartfilia." With that I walked away to Verity who was signaling me frantically with her hands.

"What's wrong?" I asked, once I was inside the kitchen again.

"We need bread now! We're all out!" she said.

I blinked and said, "Not to be rude, but what exactly should I do about it?"

Verity frowned. "Please get some from the market! I'll pay you, don't worry."

Why was my bad luck increasing with every passing minute? I was about to object, but Verity pushed me towards the door. "Hurry!"

So I was stuck on the street, looking left and right wondering where I could get bread, and where I could get a gun to kill Mira later. I ran to my left, and thankfully found a bakery. I spent my last pennies on it, and raced back to the café. But as soon as I came in, I was greeted with a plate thrown onto my face.

It clattered to the floor and I saw it was complete mayhem in the café; Candy was running about the floor, two fat ladies were standing on a table, Natsu and Fried were trying to chase the kitten down, Erza was yelling at a subdued and horrified Levy, Mira was attempting to calm two girls who were screaming, and Verity was shouting out orders and almost tearing out her hair.

Why was everyone so flustered just because of a small kitten? Keeping calm, I put the bread on a chair, and crouched down just as Candy came near me, smoothly taking her in my arms.

"You can sit down now, mistresses," I said politely to the two stupid ladies on the table, and then walked back into the kitchen like nothing even remotely close to a commotion had happened. I had no idea a cat could cause so much trouble since morning by practically doing nothing.

After ten minutes, everything was back to normal, and Levy had just finished explaining the situation. She had somehow smuggled Candy inside her jacket because she didn't want to leave her at home, and had kept her in the changing room. But Verity must have opened the door or something, because Candy had managed to escape, though all she had wanted was some milk.

Even though my performance had been quite dignified, it was not long before I was pulled into my eventful holes again. I had been doing quite well for some time, but the next chaos inevitably happened.

I was taking three cups of tea to some gentlemen near Natsu and Fried's table, when Natsu suddenly jumped up right in front of me, and opened his big mouth to say something. But I was so shocked at his sudden materialization, that I screamed and jumped backwards — right onto some fallen cream. I slipped and the tray went flying from my hands with the tea falling right on Natsu's pink hair—striping it with brown— and the cups onto the ground.

There was silence for a few moments, before I burst out laughing at his face. I was immediately dragged out of there by Erza, while Mira tried to laugh it off in front of the gentlemen—who didn't look very gentle at the moment—but all in vain.

One disastrous event after another, including me drenching Levy with water from a very stubborn tap, Erza getting mad at Natsu and yelling at him, Candy jumping right onto a caramel pudding, and Mira accidently falling onto a slab of butter, occurred before the café finally closed down for the day.

"Disgraceful behavior! I did not expect this from you Mirajane! And Ms. Heartfilia, kindly do not scream when a customer merely addresses you! Ms. Scarlet, we are not supposed to scold our masters!"

Verity went on and on as I wondered what Gray was doing at the moment. I had been able to text him once or twice, but didn't get any time to talk properly.

"Are you listening?" Verity rapped on the kitchen table, glaring at me. I nodded. "Yes of course!"

At last, when the lecture was over and I had day-dreamed about Gray enough, Erza voiced my thoughts to the manager.

"Uh, so…do we get any money?"

Verity crossed her arms, but Mira prompted her from behind. "You promised my father! Please?"

After a lot of dirty looks, she agreed to pay us, at which I started to sing and threw my arms around a surprised Verity.

When I was finally back into my own comfortable clothes, and we were walking in the cool air back to the station with Candy sitting on Mira's head, Erza commented; "Maybe it wasn't that bad, right?"

"Oh no!" I said sarcastically. "It was wonderfully pleasant!"

"But we got the money." Mira pointed out to which I had to agree was a plus point.

We reached Magnolia, and it was six in the evening, so my whole day hadn't been spoilt. I teased Levy about Gajeel for sometime as we walked, then the conversation turned to Natsu.

"He's so annoying." I said.

Erza shrugged. "I know, he can be very trying. But he really likes you." And I made a disgusted face at her words.

We said goodbye, I gave a last poke to Candy who bumped her small nose against my palm, and I reached home. The first thing I did was to get a bottle of Coke, all the junk food I could find, switch on the television, and flop down on the sofa.

I talked to Gray for a while, who was aghast at me actually trying out for a maid café, but then launched into some movie he had found online. Then I hung up and mostly stayed on the couch; which was exactly my version of relaxation.

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**I'm really freaked out whether this chapter was good or not, so please review :D Okay, so I managed to upload three chapters in the weekends, but I probably won't be able upload until Friday again, I'll try though. Thanks for the support guys :)**


	12. Chapter 12- The Beach

**Hey, lots of thanks to my new reviewers, followers and favouriters- Thecooldragonslayer, dianaloveanime and bookworm0313.**

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**Chapter Twelve- The Beach**

How should I put it? Once upon a time in the Land of Idiots, there lived a man who sat down one fine day and decided to write up the coming generation's futures. Apparently mine was written last, and by that time he had run out of good ideas, so he settled on 'no free days for Lucy' instead; which meant, every day of my life something interesting would happen, and there wouldn't be a normal one where I would sleep all day.

Levy, Mira, Juvia, Erza and me sat at the kitchen table staring at my mother with puppy dog eyes.

My mother was gleefully keeping the suspense, and stirring her cup of coffee with a spoon. I sensibly did not urge her; since I'm sure most mothers don't like their children asking for favors the minute they return to their house for some relaxation.

Juvia nudged me from my left and mouthed, "What do you think?"

I shrugged and finally said, "Hey Mom, what do you say then?"

My mother acted as if she were doing some deep thinking, and then finally replied, "You better be back before midnight."

I squealed and hugged her like a kid— knocking over her coffee in the process—which made her promptly order me to make another.

I had been woken up early in the morning with a hundred missed calls and messages, all from each of my friends. When I finally got to call them back without even getting rid of my morning breath, after a lot of speed talking I got the point; they wanted to go to the beach with me.

At first I was at a loss, because as far as I knew, Magnolia didn't harbor a hidden beach I had never heard of. But I was made to understand that we would be travelling again.

This was an idea I wasn't very reluctant about, because back at Azure Town I had loved going to the beach; not that there is much to do there. Apparently my agreement was unexpected, since I learnt Erza had been braced for an argument.

So now when Mom agreed, the reaction in the kitchen was much the same as the maid café experience—which I solemnly swear never to do again— and Levy still would not explain why they chose to appear at my house each morning with something brand new to try out.

"Lucy! Your room, now!" Erza barked suddenly. I gulped and turned away from the kettle.

"Why, exactly?"

"We've got discussions."

"You do realize we need to finish our homework, right? We can't spend the entire weekend—" I wasn't allowed to finish my studious lecture as Levy groaned and dragged me up the stairs.

"We can ask Jet and Droy to do them in exchange for ten bucks." She reasoned when I frowned.

Jet and Droy were the biggest nerds in our class who had crushes on Levy, and they would do just about anything to get some money.

After my escalation up the stairs—which I knew was becoming a habit with my friends—I was pushed to my wardrobe and made to spill out its contents.

"If you push me around like this I may change my mind about going!" I complained, but stopped when Erza and Levy glared at me in sync while Mira tried to side with me.

So with my clothes strewn on the bed, Mira and I went and leaned near the window beside it, while the rest of them inspected my poor clothes. I still hadn't bought the dress I had been planning on buying, but it wouldn't be that bad if I saved some money.

"You sure you want to go?" Mirajane asked suddenly.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm not against this one. Why?"

Mira shook her head. "Because I should probably mention another part before Levy does."

My intuition of staying with my friends rose up and I realized this was the bad part.

"Shoot." I said.

"The beach wasn't really our idea. Our entire class decided on this, and we were invited."

"Yeah, so how does it matter if everyone else will be there?" I began, but trailed off.

The good part was Gray would be there. The bad part was that Natsu would be there. But I guessed it didn't really matter; I would mind my own business, and he his own.

"Now, you're still going right?" Mira pushed her lovely, white hair back and asked.

I laughed. "Obviously I am, silly! The tone in which you started to explain, it was like you were predicting my death which would occur in a few minutes."

"Lucy!" Juvia commanded, and I meekly jumped onto the bed beside my red jumper and said, "Yes, my lord? Your wish is my command."

"You have some serious swimsuit shopping to do, my dear," Erza explained, gingerly holding up my favorite blue swimsuit as if it was a dead rat.

"Actually," I said, snatching it away. "I rather like this one."

Did I mention that man in the Land of Idiots had also bothered to add the fact that Lucy Heartfilia would inevitably give in to all the weird things her friends coaxed her into?

After a few minutes of a verbal fight, which included me shaking my head so many times I felt that it would come off, I agreed to Levy's demand; a bikini. So then we were racing towards the shops, me trying to straighten my clothes vainly.

"We're supposed to meet the rest of our class at the station by noon, so hurry up!" Juvia urged, as Levy rushed through the innumerable swimwear at 'La Robe'—which was our currently favorite shop in Magnolia.

I was merely yawning and leaning against the shelf, since I had no expertise in this area. Finally, when the hours of torture were over, we went to our own houses, and I was clutching the shopping bag in which I hadn't dared to look.

Levy had wanted to bring Candy, which was absurd, but I convinced her that the seemingly innocent kitten had caused enough trouble yesterday without repeating it at the beach.

I went to my room, became a dork for some time as I finished my studies, then stuffed my clothes back and packed a bag. Then I plucked up the courage to very cautiously take out my 'bikini' and almost flipped over.

Levy had picked some weird hot pink one, and a black one, and those weren't the only ones. There were a few other not-so-decent swimsuits, and I almost felt like yelling at my best friend.

Around twelve in the afternoon, all of us met at Mira's house and we made our way to the station. I wondered how many times more I would go to the same old station every day. We reached the open platform and I saw the train was late.

There were at least twenty people waiting, and I noticed Mia sprawled across a bench complaining loudly about people being late. Cana was counting her beer bottles on the floor, Gray was casually standing near the bench and grinning at me, while Natsu and Rogue were doing a competition—which from the looks of it I guessed was 'who can eat ten bananas the fastest'.

"You're late!" Mia snarled. I groaned inside; out of all the people, she picked me to whine to.

"So is the train." I replied coolly, before going and kissing Gray right before her eyes. My plan worked and she threw her overloaded bag down and stomped on the ground.

"I knew I shouldn't have come here!"

"No one will mind if you walk away, really." Cana offered.

After another fifteen minutes the train arrived, and all twenty of us tried to get in at once, which didn't produce a very delightful result.

We went in through the sliding glass doors, and I bagged the seat near the window at once. Gray, Levy, Sting and Mira were with me in the compartment, and Gray sat opposite me.

"This was way too sudden." he commented, as the fields rolled past us when the train gathered speed.

"Yeah, but I'm kind of getting used to getting up in the morning and heading off to who-knows-where when my friends are concerned." I explained, grinning.

As the train went along, I began to feel immensely hot for some reason, and couldn't wait to jump into the cool water at the beach. While I was daydreaming about the sea, halfway through Sting opened his mouth and started to sing in a horrible off-tune voice.

"Ninety nine bottles of beer! Ninety nine bottles of beer!"

Not being able to put up with his 'singing' any longer, I did all of us a huge favor by throwing my towel on Sting's face and saying, "Are you trying to bring Cana in here so that she can explain the history of alcohol to us in detail?"

Sting threw my towel back at me and pouted. "But I'm bored!"

Gray sighed, exasperated. "How about I kill you? Will that ease your boredom?"

"Actually," Levy suggested. "We could play something!"

All of us stared at her when she made herself sound like a total kid. But Levy put her index on her bottom lip for a moment and said, "Okay, that came out wrong. But we can play Truth or Dare!"

"We hardly have space for Dares!" I protested. My theory was a large place where all sorts of wacky dares could be created was the key to this game. However, as usual my great words of wisdom were ignored since everyone was too lazy to suggest something better.

I pulled out my bottle, and spun it around on the small table jutting out from the right wall. The cap pointed towards Sting, and the end towards Levy.

"Okay, Truth or Dare Stingy?" Levy asked.

"Dare!" Sting said promptly. Gray and I exchanged a silent laughter before turning back to the game.

"Alright, I dare you to challenge Erza in arm-wrestling."

I blinked and said, "Levy, no one deserves a punishment that bad." Of course no one listened to me.

So poor Sting went and called Erza to our compartment, and she didn't look happy about leaving her cheese-cake half-eaten, but followed.

"Oh hey guys!" she said brightly when she saw Levy, Mira and me.

"Sting, do it!" Mira urged, when he began to waste time.

Sting Eucliffe gulped and said, "Uh Erza? I sort of, want to…arm wrestle with you?" The last part turned into a question.

Erza smirked and said, "Your funeral."

Gray and I gave them our places, and they put their arms on the table as soon as I removed the bottle. I could see the beads of sweat that rolled down Sting's face as Erza grinned and showed no mercy.

"This is a dare right?" she asked casually. I nodded and just as Sting's hand was almost touching the table, I could literally hear a bone cracking.

"I should get back; I want to finish my cake." Erza said as she got up and Gray scooted back into his place.

"Stop whining Sting; be a man like Elfman would say." Gray scolded as Sting howled in pain.

I spun the bottle again, and this time the cap faced Mira and the end towards Gray, who asked, "Truth or Dare Mirajane?"

"Truth." Mira played it safe.

Gray grinned and asked, "If you were to kiss Fried or Rogue, who would you choose?"

Mira blushed fifty shades of red and mumbled; "Fried I guess."

"Hah!" I exclaimed in delight, earning a dirty look from kind-hearted Mira.

Levy spun this time; the cap faced me, and the end Sting, who was still nursing his broken finger.

"Dare." I said, before he could ask. He thought for a second before daring me; "Take your shirt off."

I stared at Sting for a few seconds before Gray said darkly; "That's my girlfriend you're talking to."

Sting didn't care. "A dare's a dare dude. Come on Lucy, take that stupid white top off and stay like that for the next round too."

I wasn't a person who chickened out in games like these, so instead of acting all silly and heroine-style embarrassed, I took my shirt off and kept it on my lap while Sting ogled and Gray blushed.

"That's enough. Carry on with the game." I told them.

This time Sting had to ask Levy, who wanted Dare like me. "Fine then. Finish off two bottles of beer in twenty seconds." Sting smirked, getting revenge.

"Hey you can't—"I started, but Sting took out two bottles from his bag and handed them to her.

"Do you have some serious relationship with beer by any chance?" I asked innocently, at which he scowled.

Levy groaned and I said, "Ready? Start!"

I watched in amazement as she chugged down, her face turning red. She finished the second one in the nick of the time, and I congratulated her.

"Wow, you look red."

"Thanks for the encouraging words." She replied sarcastically, but then suddenly clamped her hand over her mouth and rushed out of the compartment—probably to the washroom.

"One more round." Mira said as I put my shirt back on. I must say, I had been feeling cooler before, not that I was returning to that embarrassing situation.

Now it was her turn to ask Gray. He too took Dare; seems like Mira had been the only one with Truth.

"I dare you to go and fake-propose to Mia." She laughed and said, as I glowered. Gray made a face of disgust, and we all came out and found Mia's compartment.

So the rest of us peeked in through a crack in the sliding door, while Gray went and knelt down before Mia. Fortunately, there was only Tori with her, and she was snoring away to glory.

"Uh Amelia Kane," Gray started, and I stifled a giggle in spite of myself at his unhappy expression. "Will you marry me?"

Mia looked too shocked to comprehend, and before Gray could explain and make a run for it, she said, "Yes!"

I burst out laughing while Sting slapped his thigh with his good hand, tears streaming down his face in amusement.

"You realize you're still in high school, and the fact that Gray is dating me?" I said, coming inside. Suddenly, realization dawned on Mia's face and she pointed at me, "This…this was a freaking dare, wasn't it?"

"Freaking right." I confirmed.

"So, should we freaking go now?" Gray asked smiling.

"Freaking yes." I replied.

"Bye Mia! Don't be too freaked!" I called behind my back as we went and sat on our seats again.

"We're about to reach, so no more." Mira said. Levy came back just then, looking better and I told her what happened, which resulted in the same reaction as mine.

After a few minutes, the train stopped at a platform, and I could hear the announcer as we stepped out with the others; "Platform 9."

Levy whispered the name of the beach to me, and when all of us approached the glittering sand after a ten minute walk from the station, I smiled and breathed, "Sakura Beach."

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"It's so weird, a beach named after a flower?" a girl from my class, Isis, said as we followed a few boys—Lyon Vastia, Alzack Connell and some more— who had booked rooms in some huge mansion near the beach. There were small divisions with four rooms in the mansion, and the walls were mostly wood.

A man greeted us, and we were taken up to the rooms. Levy, Juvia, Erza and I were sharing one, while Mira had to share with Cana, Violet and Isis.

The room was fairly good—not that we would spend much time in it—and we could see the sea shimmering in the sunlight.

"Who's paying for all this?" I asked.

"The Dragneels, the Vastias and the Eucliffes." Juvia said. I had learned that these three families were the richest ones now.

"Luce, get your suit, we're going swimming right now!" Erza said gleefully.

"Like right now?" I asked, and then immediately rushed into the bathroom at the glares I was receiving.

Five minutes later I was vainly trying to hide behind Mira in my stupid black bikini. All that changed when I felt the water under my feet, and I quickly waded in deep enough before diving down, enjoying the cool feeling after walking on burning sand in the heat.

Levy and I got into a major water fight, then I beat Erza at swimming—it took me a few seconds to believe it—, Gray flashed his abs with just his blue shorts on and joined us in the water, and Lyon tried to flirt with Juvia.

Cana and Mira were lying on the sand under the shade of umbrellas, and a reporter of the weekly magazine turned up suddenly and began to click pictures of them.

I was pulled out of the water for a girls verses boys volleyball match, and even though it was not my strong area, I agreed. That didn't go too well, since I ended up on my butt in a now ruined sandcastle, and the ball on my face, which made Gray freak out and yelp from the other side of the net.

Being a very bad girlfriend, I used that distraction to slam the ball over the net before Gray could shoot back, and earned the girls a point.

Eventually, the boys won, so as punishment we girls had to lie on the sand while some of the perverts covered us with sand from toes to the chest, making huge shapes with the sand near the top.

We had some excellent food for lunch, and Isis wasted her juice by pouring it on top of Mia when she began to brag about her cars, and none of us seemed to have a napkin at that moment.

Little later, I was trying to read my book in peace under an umbrella after lunch, but Natsu came bounding up as usual, wearing black and white shorts which looked like a chess board.

"This place is cool right?" he said grinning.

I couldn't help smiling a bit. He was just so childish, and even though I had striped his hair with coffee yesterday, he was not holding a grudge against me.

"Yeah, it is." I agreed. "Sorry for yesterday." I mumbled after a moment.

Natsu's eyes softened and he said, "Don't worry about it. I found a new hairstyle!"

I nodded and laughed. I turned around on my back and stared up at the sky.

"Want to swim?" he asked suddenly.

"We just did. Plus I'm full." I said.

"Too bad."

I felt myself being lifted up, and I realized Natsu had picked me up. I shrieked and pounded his arms, but he laughed and dumped in the water. I spluttered and coughed as he said, "You can swim now!"

"Idiot! What if I died, huh? The world would lose one of the greatest people to have been ever born!" I yelled.

But I swam around anyway, and then raced with Gray, resulting in him beating me. It was twilight when I decided to get out of the water and simply lie on the sand which had now turned golden and orange due to the fading sunlight, and looked up at the clouds stained with hues of yellow and pink. Levy and a few others were lounging beside me, and I felt really comfortable lying there, wanting to never leave this place.

I was feeling weird wearing my swimsuit for so long, so I headed back to my room in the mansion and changed into a shirt and shorts after a while, when Erza came up and informed, "Hey, Loke and the others are going to have a sort of party down at the beach! You're going to come right? Please?"

More parties. Lovely. But I nodded and followed Erza back anyway, where everyone was sitting or lying around a small bonfire, their faces illuminated by the light.

"Crack open the bottles!" Loke yelled, and most of the people popped open some green bottles and the frothy liquid shot up and landed on whoever was unfortunately sitting next to the person opening it.

I could tell we still had some fun left at Sakura Beach.

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**I'm really hoping you guys liked this and I didn't make it boring :D Thanks so very much for all the reviews everyone, it means a lot to me, so thanks :) I'm going to try and update as fast as I can, which may be possible as it's the weekend. Please review guys :D**


	13. Chapter 13- Target

**Massive thanks to my new reviewers, followers and favouriters- lily soffy, animefan104, and xxSaphireBluexx.**

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**Chapter Thirteen- Target **

I pushed Rogue away when he tried to pour his drink on top of me, laughing like a maniac. Now it was just me, Mira, Levy, Gray and Isis who were not drunk or even remotely close.

Apparently Loke had brought fireworks, so at one point they had shot up into the sky and burst into a million colors of red, green, blue and yellow. Unfortunately one firework backfired and landed on Gajeel, singing his hair. But he had so much; I guessed it didn't really matter.

There had been a competition between Cana and Fried with their drinks, but no one had been fool enough to bet on Fried, as Cana would, and did win.

Natsu and Sting were now singing Christmas carols in harmony around the small, crackling fire, Mia had moved away from the rest of us and was drawing circles near a tree, muttering something about sheep being pink, Juvia and Erza were slumped over each other, and Gray was grinning at the scene.

"Lucy, I think we should head back now, or we'll miss the last train back to Magnolia." Levy whispered, scooting closer to me when Jet and Droy started to come uncomfortably close.

I didn't need a recapitulation of my bad experience with trains, so I agreed and attempting to wake the sleeping people up, but it didn't help. Finally, after trying to get everyone to sit up and make a move in vain, I lost my temper.

"Guys, come on! Get your stuff now, we need to leave! And Sting, it is not Christmas now, so don't sing Jingle Bells!" I yelled.

A few obedient people listened and went up, including Gray, Mira and a now awake Erza; Levy had already gone. But Natsu and some others were still lounging around, so I huffed and made my way towards the block my friends and I were sharing.

I was mostly thinking about how we would get back in time, so I didn't really bother to check if I was in the correct division. It was dark anyway, since I had left the light from the mini-bonfire behind me, along with the horrible singing.

After a few minutes, I realized I was no longer near the mansion, but another part of the beach. It was eerily quiet except the gentle waves of the sea, but in the dark I couldn't even figure out which block was mine. I retraced my steps and found myself near another mansion—definitely not the one we were staying in, that much I could understand by the examining the size.

I rolled my eyes in frustration and ran my fingers along the walls of the second mansion. Honestly, who could get lost at a beach? I mean, if this was a deep forest, and I was a lovely hot heroine crying under a raccoon's house, it wouldn't seem too unrealistic. But this was a barren place full of sand, so it shouldn't be hard going back and finding at least the bonfire.

I walked a bit more, and felt that another structure opposite the one I just saw had to be the place we were staying in. I had been getting a bit worried that people may leave me behind or something, but now I just had to hurry up a little. My feet trudged along the sand, making soft noises—when I heard a sound similar to mine behind me.

I turned around as a reflex reaction, and saw three tall boys, almost falling over each other as they struggled to stand straight. It was still silent as I stood frozen, but was broken by soft chuckling, gradually growing in volume from one of the boys.

Even as I stood there, wondering if I should bolt, the situation felt so cliché. Oh very funny, a girl standing alone on a beach, surrounded by three drunk baboons. So this must have been the part where I scream for help and my knight in shining armor appears with a cape and whisks me away.

Now that was one thing I refused to do, so I shrugged and turned back, as if nothing had happened. Why waste time talking with them? I was walking again, and I spotted a tree which I felt was the one Mia had been sitting under; that meant all the others may be close. Hopefully they were still there, and I wasn't actually stuck here alone.

I was going to laugh to myself, because nothing out of the ordinary happened as I walked; boy was I wrong.

"Don't go." My shirt collar was seized and pulled back, almost choking me, so I thrashed until the person let go, and then faced him.

The boy was even taller than Gray, dark, and was wearing rugged jeans and a torn shirt. His hair was messed up and looked wet, and he was obviously drunk as he hiccupped and smiled at me.

"Don't go. Play with us." He repeated, grabbing my shoulders— resulting in my hair getting tangled up in his fingers—which crossed the limit and I snapped.

"Let go of me idiot." I said; my voice smooth and calm unlike my feelings.

"Pretty baby," another boy slurred, coming closer. Now all three of them were literally ganging up on me, one boy still drinking from a bottle. I watched, disgusted as the liquid trickled down from the corner of his mouth and stained his dirty shirt.

"Uh, right. So, you want more...uh… pretty babies?" I cringed and said, hoping my pathetic plan would work.

"I do!" the second boy piped up like a kid, and then doubled over laughing for no reason.

"Shut up Jake!" the dark boy cried, still holding me.

"No, no! I can get more for you! You just have to let me go!" I laughed weakly, and tried to pry the boy's fingers off with my nails, who didn't flinch.

"You'll do." He muttered, winking. "I'm Felix, and you're?" he hiccupped again, making me want to throw up.

I groaned and said, "I'm Elizabeth. Now let me go!" I tried to kick him in his weak spot, and succeeded much to my surprise. He cried out and scrunched his eyes shut in pain. Immediately I made a run for it, but the boy who had been drinking, grabbed me from the side in a hold that would make a bear turn away in shame.

I gasped and cursed at him with such creative words, people would have rinsed my mouth out for a week.

I could feel his hot breath against my ear as he whispered, "We're good; don't be scared honey."

Suddenly, before I could kick him too, he dropped me on the sand, where I scrambled to my feet.

"Felix!" he called, twirling for a moment due to the alcohol, before steadying himself.

Felix looked annoyed as he came near us. "Lets' play, now." he said impatiently. But the bear-boy grabbed my arm and pointed at my face.

"This is Heartfilia! The daughter!"

I had not been expecting that; I froze and tried to find some space as the boys peered down at me.

"Later." Felix groaned, as if I had just made him do pushups. "Don't care. Play. Have fun with the sugar." I got the feeling that he only said that because he was drunk or else, what the bear-boy had said must have been relevant.

But I had no time to worry about that. The boy called Jake suddenly clutched my shirt and began to pull it. This time, I didn't care whether I sounded like a damsel in distress in a movie. I screamed and tried to pull away.

To my utter surprise—and not to the movie makers if there had been any—the boys let go of me and stared at something behind me.

I turned very slowly, to see Natsu Dragneel standing a few meters away, looking shocked and not at all like Superman rushing to save the world from the clutches of evil.

"Do something!" I mouthed, when he just stood there trying to comprehend.

But he didn't have to. The boys laughed and crowed; "Dragneel and Heartfilia together! We'll be rich!"

I moved my head back to see Jake and Felix trying to high-five and missing each time, with the other boy coughing and urging them to move, his bottle spilling what little was left in it onto the sand.

Natsu finally mustered some courage and came near, shielding me with his arms. The nerve! I was about to run off again, when the boys stared at me for a second, and stumbled back to the second mansion I had seen, screaming and laughing; "Pretty baby made us rich! Rich!"

Once they were gone, Natsu faced me angrily. "What did you think you were doing, huh?"

For once I was speechless. "Why…did they go?" I stammered.

Natsu shrugged. "Whatever it is, I don't like it. Now come on, we have to get back to the others."

He didn't seem drunk at all, so when I asked, his reply was merely; "This shook me out of it." He was also carrying a few empty bottles and boxes, I noted.

I managed to go to my block with his guidance, and rushed to my room without speaking to Natsu or thanking him at all. Once I was inside, I saw almost everyone standing or sitting there, with a worried sick Gray and crying Levy.

"Lucy!" she yelled when she saw me, and hugged me tight in that little space. "Where were you?" she demanded, Isis nodding from behind.

I sighed and told them what happened. I also learnt from Mira that Natsu had been taking the used boxes of fireworks and empty bottles up, that was why he had heard me.

"We are really late, let's go now, or we will actually miss the train." Isis said.

We all nodded and came out again. Sting paid the man who had showed us in earlier, and joined us as we walked back to the station. Gray hadn't spoken a word, and refused to let anyone but him walk with me.

So I got irritated and said, "I'm not dying, alright? Let's forget about this stupid thing." He came to his senses and apologized after that.

The train ride back was uneventful—thankfully we caught it in time—though Natsu kept glancing at me. Everyone went their own ways, and I got scolded by Mom for being late when I reached the house. I lied through my teeth and said it was a train delay, deciding not to tell her about what actually happened.

I usually didn't feel scared about too many things, but as I crawled under my sheets I was worried about what the boys had said involving me and Natsu, and the part when they said they would be rich. I shivered and fell into a dreamless sleep the moment my head touched the pillow, hoping all this had been some nightmare.

* * *

"Don't think about it, Luce." Erza adviced, rubbing her temples as she went through the pile of work she had been neglecting as a part of her club at school.

It was break, and the day was gloomy and cloudy for a Monday. I scraped at the stain on my shirt, which was due to my accident in the Chemistry lab when I had dropped all four test tubes.

I had been asking my friends about the meaning of 'We'll be rich' back at the beach, but as we all knew, we wouldn't be able to guess. I got tired of all the noise in the cafeteria, and went out; finding the stairs which led to the peaceful, old and unused room Gray had taken me to.

Sure enough, he was there, dozing off in a chair. I went up and yelled, "Boo!" And he jumped up, the chair toppling over as he faced me with a karate-chop position.

"Oh it's you, Lucy." He grinned and relaxed, picking the chair up.

"The one and only." I announced, sitting on the only other chair. The room was naturally dark today, and a greyish light decorated it through the frosted glass.

"Dragneel was searching for you." Gray suddenly said, his tone bitter.

I smirked and poked him. "Jealous much?"

Gray laughed. "No silly. I just hate that jerk."

I shook my head and smiled. I was about to change the subject, when an extremely annoying person ruined our time with a "There you are!"

Gray groaned and my eyebrows twitched as I stood up. "I know you saved my life and everything, but I'm trying to spend some time alone with my boyfriend here!" I yelled.

I could almost see Gray making a triumphant face at my words when Natsu scowled.

"We need to talk though." His tone sounded pretty serious, so I rolled my eyes and gestured for him to come in. How he had managed to find me in here, I really and truly had no idea. Perhaps he practiced black magic.

Natsu was holding a piece of printed paper in his hands, and he slammed it down on the desk now. Gray and I went near him, and all of us peered down at the paper.

I noticed a few words like 'Heartfilia' and 'criminal' before turning to the pink-haired boy.

"What do you mean by this?" I never thought I would have to see the day when Natsu would explain something to me, but it had arrived anyway. Natsu coughed and started to explain.

"Your father, Jude Heartfilia, had employed a lot of people as you know. I found out that he had actually been cheating the bank to pay some of them, and also for his own needs. There were a lot of people at his work who had agreed to help him out when the bank found out, so that all his possessions would not be taken away. But Jude took not only the money he needed, but a lot more than that before fleeing the country.

It was written in the article in the net, that these people's lives had been well destroyed with lack of money, and they had tried to sue Jude. But he had had power over the bank and the people after becoming so rich, so it was in vain. I think, those boys are part of the families which had helped Jude, and so—"

"So they think they can get their money back from me." I finished angrily. "Why did you research about my family anyway?" I asked then, a bit irritated.

Natsu shrugged and said, "They kept saying Heartfilia, and I felt it was something to do with your family."

"You do have some brains!" Gray marveled. Natsu stuck out his tongue like a baby and said, "Shut up Fullbuster."

"Eat worms Dragneel."

The two boys glared at each other before I interrupted. "This is serious guys!"

They relaxed and nodded. Then suddenly, I realized something. I remembered the Dragneels were the richest family now, next to two others. So, when the boys had said 'Heartfilia and Dragneel', they had thought I was friends with him, or more. Which meant—I shuddered at the thought—they were hoping to get money from me by either threatening my father who would never bend, or by threatening Natsu's family?

I quickly voiced my fears to the two of them, and Natsu paled while Gray looked stunned.

"But why now?" I muttered. "Natsu, tell me the year in which my father fled the country." I added.

Natsu checked the now suddenly creepy paper, and mumbled, "Three years ago."

"That's it. The families, or the boys, have tracked me down at last, so they need their money back." I said. I almost wished they had got this over with three years ago, when Jude married Layla after moving. Anyway, if they were trying to find me, why did they have to waste their time at a beach?

"But your father is still rich, right? If we're thinking legally, then it's not you who are to be followed, but Jude." Gray said.

I nodded. "But he would never-" I started, but was cut off by Natsu.

"If it comes to that, he will, and we will make him. Hopefully, these people won't find you at all. But we're not backing out." I saw Natsu used 'we', implying Gray and him working together instead of just himself. I admit, I felt pretty guilty for all this.

But Gray and Natsu looked pretty determined, as if preparing for some battle. I sighed, wondering why this had to happen and nodded.

I remembered a man had tried to kidnap me once, just a few days after my mother left Jude. The memory was blurry, since I had been very small, but I remember my mother screaming for help, and once a mob formed on the street, the man had dropped me and bolted.

I knew being part of the Heartfilia family wasn't very safe, that was why I was in this situation again. All because my father had failed to be a good person, I suffered later, dragging my friends into it this time too. I wondered how much time these people chasing me had spent, plotting about me. They must have got a picture or description of me, otherwise they could never have recognized the daughter of Jude Heartfilia at night, completely drunk too.

"Thank you," I whispered to the two of them. "And I don't care if I'm a target again, since you guys are helping this time." I continued, raising my voice a bit, just as the bell rang signifying the end of break; not that I was getting a break too soon. I smiled a little anyway.

I didn't care how cheesy what I just said to Gray and Natsu sounded; I meant it. I would show those idiots after me that I wasn't an easy target at all.

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**I hope this was good enough :) Okay, I want to add that the part where Natsu saves Lucy, that was suggested by lucyglitter11,(read her stories, they're good) which you can see in the reviews :) The rest of it I wrote, and hopefully it was interesting! If I'm lucky and I have time, I will update on Tuesday, if not I'll do it in the weekends as soon as possible :) Please, do review and tell me what you think, okay guys? :)**


	14. Chapter 14- Twisted Games

**I'm so sorry for the late update guys, had a lot going on! Loads of thanks to my new reviewers, followers and favouriters- Majsan100, Guest, Yukihara Mika, bluecrushsurfergirl, FairyTailAddict21 and katy2323.**

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**Chapter Fourteen- Twisted Games**

Three days had passed normally, and nothing out of the ordinary had happened yet. My friends now knew all the information Natsu had supplied to me. I was beginning to think that all the commotion with the boys at the beach was over, and my oh-so-wonderful dialogues to Gray and Natsu on Monday had been for nothing—pity that.

It was Friday, and to add to my overflowing jar of bad luck, Sports Day was today. I had noted that this was never held in winters, only in the summers when you were almost boiling yourself.

Everyone had to give up their breaks to practice, and of course I was forced to participate too. The people who were totally useless in all the categories, for example me, were made to run in the cross-country marathon.

Erza, Gray, Mira—I had no idea that soft girl could run so fiercely— and Juvia were brilliant at sports, so naturally they got selected for almost everything. I had learnt that there was a sort of tradition at the school as Erza said; "It's always boy verses girls! And we girls have won twice in a row!"

So basically I had to withstand the if-looks-could-kill glares from the hot girl athletes at our school urging me to run faster, whether it was this useless race or not, they badly wanted the girls to win. I personally didn't get this 'war', but it was not like anyone was taking my advice.

Levy and I were thankfully together, and right now we were standing in the burning sun, on the Sports tracks drawn on the grounds of our school, wearing white sweatshirts and shorts. I may not have too much of fashion sense, but I had enough to hate this outfit. The good part about this torture, however, was no classes—even though English had been interesting yesterday when a mouse dropped from the ceiling and onto Gildarts's head.

"Heartfilia! Remember, don't lower your head and run like a bull, or flap your arms about, alright?" a blonde girl told me as she ran past me to join her team.

I rolled my eyes. All week it had been 'Heartfilia do this, Heartfilia don't do this.' I noticed some people gathering around the school gates, and realized the students from the other schools had arrived. The last event today would be the inter-school races, which unfortunately included a few running in ours too. I knew this marathon was hardly counted, so what was the point of making me suffer?

"They're here!" Erza announced, jogging up to us, and beaming.

I nodded and said very nicely, "Yeah, I care a lot."

"Cheer up Luce! You have a date with Gray today, remember?" Erza grinned mischievously as I blushed. It was true, though we were just going to hang around here and there, but at least my mood lifted—in other words Erza's plan worked.

About ten to fifteen students filtered into the grounds and looked around carefully, like this was some minefield. The members of the Student Council appeared beside us suddenly, and shooed us away from the tracks and to the far end with the other kids, trying to set everything perfect for the event—as if that was needed.

One of the objects from the obstacle race came rolling out of nowhere and bumped into my knee as I scowled with annoyance, walking off to where the Student Council President was desperately pushing me towards.

As Levy, Erza and I got closer to the people from the other schools, I noticed someone a little too familiar, talking with Rogue.

With the boy's tall, dark features, tousled hair and carefree face, I recognized him at once; A very much sober Felix, the boy who had grabbed me at the beach. For a brief second we made eye contact, and triumph seemed to flash across his face for that moment.

I grabbed Levy's hand and ran towards the school building, my friend complaining in surprise. Once we were inside, I went behind the last few lockers and faced a panting Levy.

"I need to save some breath for running too!" she said indignantly.

I shook my head in dismissal and explained why I had pulled the poor thing over here in the heat, in a very lame way. At least she understood, and not knowing what to say, leaned back against a locker.

Among the midst of it all, for some very strange reason this felt funny to me. The creepy part was Felix had actually tracked me down at my school—Natsu should have stalking lessons from him, but that's beside the point—and was now closer to me than I had imagined possible.

But seriously, what could he do? Kidnap me? Show me a knife? I was not going to sit around and wait for the criminal to do his job before the hero swooped in to save me. I actually felt like daring Felix to threaten me.

"Lucy? Lucy!" Levy snapped her fingers in front of me and I blinked.

"Why were you looking scared, then worried, then superior, and then smirking like the devil incarnate?" she asked bluntly.

I laughed, surprising myself, and said, "Nothing. Just thought that I'm not going to burrow back into my hole just because that stupid octopus is here. Let's go!"

"Huh?" Levy looked confused for a minute before yelling at me; "Then why did you drag me here in the first place?"

I put my index on my bottom lip and said thoughtfully, "Good question you got there." I had actually done that because I had been at a loss for how to react a few minutes ago.

Levy groaned and then said, "But I'm not sure about all this. Luce, if he's—"

"If he's baking a cake with poison in it for me, I don't care!" I cut her off.

We walked back onto the grounds, Levy looking apprehensive. It was like our situations had been reversed from the looks of it. I glanced at Felix once, before making my way towards the rest of my friends, who were sitting beside the tracks.

Makarov went to the microphone, almost toppling over near the long, black pole with a red flag on it, and announced in a highly booming voice for such an old man; "Welcome to the Annual Sports Day of Crosswell High School!"

I tuned him out for the rest of the boring speech when Mira nudged me; "What's up with you? You look funny."

Her last sentence sounded so ironical, I almost laughed. I whispered the reason back to her, and her eyes widened. Fortunately she didn't say too much, but whispered back; "Be careful."

I honestly didn't understand how this was happening. If someone asked me my life history in a nutshell, the answer would be simple; my wealthy father left me, I began a new life at a new place, I fell in love with a hot idiot, I went to the beach for fun and ended up being cornered by a trio of morons who wanted money which I didn't have, and now I was being tortured into sports at our school where the moron leader turned up to kill me. Yep, the life every girl dreams of.

A gun shot was fired as the blank bullet shot up, signaling the start of the first race. I patiently waited out all the races. The other schools were leading, but that changed when Erza and Gray stepped in. I cheered for them until I was almost hoarse, and received a lot of glares from the girls when Gray flashed me a thumbs up and winked.

After two hours Levy pulled me out of the crowd and at the tracks. I felt like crying out loud just imagining the amount I have to run for this 'cross-country' marathon. Why would they call it 'country' when we were circling just parts of the town and through the trail in the woods and back?

Levy was to my right, and to my left was Felix, naturally. I suspected that he had intentionally participated in this race of all the others. He had the school logo printed very small at the bottom of his shirt, and I recognized it as one of the local schools in Clover Town.

The gun shot echoed as people half-heartedly cheered, and I blinked in the sunlight before taking off; I ran over the school grounds, out of the gate, and then dashed east towards the woods. There was a small trail there which we would have to take, before circling the buildings to its west and heading back. I was anxious to put as much distance as possible between Felix and me, so I tried to carry my stubborn legs faster.

Gasp, what a surprise; Felix caught up with me in no time, and had the nerve to jog beside me, smirking.

I tried to ignore him as best as possible, until I reached the trail. Almost everyone went ahead of me, and as for Levy, she was nowhere in front, which meant she was panting along behind.

I honestly did not care whether I came first or last, so I made my way deeper near the few trees which was where the trail ended, and rooted myself to the spot.

Felix imitated my move, but before he could do anything I said sharply; "What are you doing here?" It was a silly question and I already knew the answer, but I wanted the baboon to explain why his baboon brain had transformed into a rotten tomato which was pretty much worse.

"To participate." He said smoothly. He seemed so much different, I was surprised for a split-second. Seeing him all composed and malicious instead of drunk and haywire was pretty strange.

"You want money?" I asked, getting straight to the point without any sarcastic verbal battles.

Felix narrowed his eyes and said, "The night at the beach is fuzzy. But you're right, Heartfilia. The money you owe us."

I saw red at that; "I don't owe you anything! Stop following me!" I shouted.

But he took a step closer and said darkly, "I don't care. You are still part of that good-for-nothing wealthy family, yeah? This means you owe me as much as anything that Jude owes!"

Felix spat out my father's name and I wriggled away from his shadow and musty breath, feeling even more hot.

"So how do you think this is helping you? Firstly no, I am no longer with my father; secondly, who do you think you are? I have no connection with all this! Stay away, will you? I don't need any more cliché situations, thank you!" I burst out, realizing my hands were shaking.

Felix opened his mouth, but at that moment Levy came running. Her mouth dropped open comically when she saw us, and froze in her place.

I gritted my teeth and said, "Levy, go and start running again."

Levy came to her senses and replied angrily; "Lucy, no! I can help—"

I groaned. "No, nothing's wrong! We're…sorting things out. Now would you please spare me the heroic speech and concentrate on the race?"

My friend was frowning and looking from Felix to me and him again, so I pushed her towards the trail end and whispered; "It's fine."

A few more people were coming this way, and Levy quickly disappeared within the trees as they followed, with a last unsure look.

"Well, good friend you got there. Pity she couldn't stay." Felix remarked, making me bite my tongue and not let the curses flow.

"As I was saying, whether three years have passed or not, we still want our money back. Whether it's from you, your useless father, or that Dragneel boy you are friends with. But since you seem to be the key, you can act as bait."

"Why now, huh? What happened three years ago?" I retorted.

"Three years ago we were trying to sue Jude! Don't you think if we knew he had a daughter, our work would be so much easier? We do not forget huge insults like that easily! I'm sure you know all about your father's little games?" Felix shouted.

"Well, now that your plans are all conveniently revealed, would you please explain your case here, right now?" I was getting tired of his twisted games, and wanted to just end them as soon as possible. I tried to ignore the last part he had said in vain.

Felix closed his eyes and opened them again, as if I was the one following him around and irritating him.

Then he said; "You want to know why we are still trying to get revenge, right? Well that had been the case, but now we just need the money. You stinking rich people have no idea how we live, do you—?"

"I am not stinking rich Felix!" I spat angrily. "Just tell me what you want me to do! Money? Well I'm sorry, I'm all broke. And my father is never in a million years going to help. Bait? Then hurry up with it now!"

"Bait…" Felix murmured. Then his eyes darkened and he said, "Friends with Dragneel?"

I was taken aback, so my reflex answer was going to be yes, but I changed it to no halfway. I didn't think I fooled him.

"Kidnapping is stupid," Felix whispered suddenly. "But sometimes stupid helps."

Before I could strangle the absent movie-makers or shoot up the tree I was standing near, Felix took hold of my head with his right hand, and banged it to the side. I didn't feel anything, so I was still trying to figure things out as I blacked out like a light bulb.

* * *

My head was feeling sore, and I scowled as I felt a bump with my hand. Now, where exactly had my lovely little fate led me to? I realized I was squatting on the ground, so I promptly stood up and looked around.

I was in some sort of broken down, wooden shack, and I saw mice scurrying along the cracks in the beams and rafters. The ground was coated with dust and extra sprinkles, and there was a lone, plastic chair with ropes that were all tangled up hanging around it. There was a classic wooden pole jutting from the ceiling and stretching to the floor where it was rooted, with more ropes and scratches that could have been made by a cat.

I was about to just normally walk out of this disgusting place and fix my hair, when Felix strolled inside. With a rush his words came back to me, and I groaned inside.

Oh, how typical of my life. I was actually and truly kidnapped this time. Plus, my date later was ruined! Well, I had it coming anyway. Very calmly I raised my hand in a wave and smiled as if we were old friends.

"Yo Felix!"

Apparently he had been expecting me to cry and beg at his feet for mercy or whatever, but my reaction didn't really live up to his expectations.

"Do you even know why you're here?" He asked nervously. Hah, nervously! I noted in my mind with pleasure.

I nodded vigorously. "Sure! I'm kidnapped, and now you will expect me to scream for my savior! Did I get that right? Or did I miss the part about me—" There followed some pretty indecent things I had been dying to shoot at Felix.

Anyway, what would he do with me now? Honestly, he was the worst kidnapper ever, didn't he watch any movies? The good part was I could bunk Sports Day though.

I was about to keep up the cool charade, but then I remembered something with a cold feeling; what about Mom, Gray and my friends? How would they know where I was?

Felix's mouth had turned into an ugly snarl. "Shut it pretty. Now, you help me with Dragneel, okay?"

"No, not okay I'm afraid. Where am I again?" I replied vaguely.

"You're closer to your disgusting friends than you imagined. This is behind the trail. Oh and you better lose some weight; wasn't easy carrying you here." he added, just to provoke me further.

I made a mental note to throw these clothes away later—because I didn't want to get infected by the 'Felix Touch'— and then said, "Thank you. Now what?"

"Dragneel, of course. You lure him out here. He's your boyfriend, right?"

I rolled my eyes, though I was feeling uneasy at his words. "No he's not! And if you want me to lure Natsu here, why bring me here then?"

"That's simple, isn't it? I don't trust you."

"Oh and I trust you like a best friend." I said sarcastically.

"Your Sports are over by now, anyway." Felix continued. I wanted to see the time, but I had no watch, and my cell phone was not here...

"Felix! Where is my cell phone?" I asked quickly. It was supposed to be in my shorts pocket. Carrying your phone while running is a bad idea, but I didn't like going anywhere without it.

Felix chuckled. "Yeah, about that. That's key number two." I was looking confused, so he reached into his own pocket and took out MY phone.

"Call Dragneel." He ordered, grabbing my left arm, pressing the phone into my right hand and forcing me to look down at the blazing screen.

I hissed and aimed a backwards kick at him, but unfortunately this time it didn't work. I hit the wall, and the entire place rumbled and shook like a scared hedgehog.

"Do it Heartfilia!" Felix commanded, unfazed by the fragile state of the shack. As if I would listen. But what choice did I have?

So I tried to compromise. "I will! Let me call my mother first!"

"No, just your boyfriend."

I bit my cheek in anger and tried again, "You can listen to all that I say, alright? One call."

He understood I was not going to buckle, so he warned; "I'm watching."

I nodded and quickly called Mom. She answered on the fifth ring, and sounded pretty happy.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Hey Lucy! I'm kind of busy at the café right now. Do you mind if I go out with a few of my friends tonight? I really—"

Thanking the heavens, I replied; "No, I don't mind at all! I'm uh, staying over with…Gray tonight too, so I won't be coming home."

"Be careful." Mom had no idea how much her words were actually put into literal sense, and I was reminded of Mira's words back at school with a lump in my throat.

I reassured her and hung up. Felix nodded approvingly and told me to call Natsu again. I sighed in defeat and anger and dialed Natsu's number. He had sneaked up and saved it at school a few days back, but I had forgotten to delete it after giving him a good lecture.

"Loud speaker." Felix added. I gave him my best dirty look, and listened to the monkey.

When Natsu picked up—to my utter dismay—he sounded hyper. "Where are you? Gray is just about killing me!"

I laughed weakly and said, "Uh, remember that guy at the beach?" I started to explain, and as I continued, the phone went silent.

"Natsu? You there?" I asked.

"Lucy?" I froze when I heard Gray's voice this time.

"Did he tell you?" I barely whispered.

"Where are you?" His voice sounded so furious, I actually looked at Felix for support.

Felix snatched the cell phone away from me and turned off the speaker. Oh, wonderful.

"Behind the school, east from the trail." Felix had been saying something, and now continued into the phone when I began to pay attention again.

"Don't you call me that you jerk!" he yelled suddenly. I turned my head around so fast, it hurt. I massaged it, as Felix shut the phone and threw it at me. I nimbly caught it, before realizing his mistake; Felix took it again, stuffing it in his pocket.

On one hand I was relieved because Mom would not be involved. One the other hand, all my friends were in trouble this time. I decided not to dwell on that fact too much at the moment, even if it was hard to ignore.

I morphed into the I-don't-care self, and made myself comfortable on the chair, throwing the ropes away. My polite and sweet kidnapper had the courage to try and bind a rope around me, but I instantly jumped up and said, "Lay off."

"I'm sick of your behavior. You know I could just kill you right now?" Felix threatened.

I shook my head mockingly. "Really? I had no idea."

Felix growled, and was about to give me the punch, when I added; "Won't help if you kill your only advantage, will it?"

He restrained himself with so much effort; it looked like he would burst. Then he said bitterly; "You are so annoying, you know that?"

I sat down on the chair again, crossing my legs which had dirt and leaves on them that I brushed off. The chair was hard and not the best place to sit, but I managed.

"Not more than you." I replied cheerfully. Then I leaned back and stared at the broken, shabby walls, trying to shut off my worries and concentrate on escaping.

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**I hope you all liked this chapter, little nervous :D Sorry again for the late update, but I will try to make up for it! My holidays have almost started, so I think I will be able to update faster :) Please review guys! Tell me if the chapter was good or not! :)**


	15. Chapter 15- Rescue Mission

**Loads of thanks to all my new reviewers, followers and favouriters- Mirajane S and Erza S, XxSkyDragonxX, GoldenRoseTanya and VFullbusterxD.**

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**Chapter Fifteen- Rescue Mission**

"Would you please stop singing?" Felix cried out in frustration.

"Oh good, that's the first time you said 'please'!" I said brightly, before opening my mouth and starting to sing again.

"I won't think twice about killing you when I get the money." Felix warned suddenly. His head had been in his hands, but now he looked up at me with dark, angry eyes.

"And who says you are getting it anyway? Natsu will never do anything for you." I spat.

"But he will for you." Felix said.

"I won't let him." I ended the conversation with my tone, and looked down. I was more worried than I was showing my wonderful kidnapper. What if Gray and Natsu got into trouble? What if they got hurt? I shivered at the thought and switched it off.

I must have dozed off sometime in the evening, because when I woke up, my hands were tied to the chair I had been sleeping on.

The shack was dark now, except for a single light bulb hanging in the corner of the room which I hadn't noticed before. The solitary, tiny window to my right apparently had punch-free glass, since I had given it a couple when Felix was not looking—he looked back too soon for my taste since I could have sworn I felt the glass tremble a bit before he dragged me away.

I hadn't given one chance for Felix to think that I was under his complete control. Sure, he had me tied to a chair in a broke-down shack in the middle of a forest, but that didn't mean I had lost hope. The only nagging thought at the back of mind was the safety of my friends.

"You could have just told the police." I suddenly said. Felix, the hot-headed monkey had not been expecting my words.

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking at me as if I was a mental patient—which I would soon turn if I spent more time with this guy—and frowned.

"I mean all this kidnapping stuff. You didn't have to sink that low. You know my father...Jude had done a wrong thing, right? So why not get this legally sorted out?"

I felt so weird giving a pep talk. I was definitely not the type of person, who went about giving moral values to people; that was entirely Elfman's job.

"Perhaps you missed all that I said before, Heartfilia," Felix said blackly. "But I don't have the money to get this 'legally sorted out'!" He made quotation marks with his fingers in the air to emphasize what he just said.

I sighed. Even without a watch I knew that it was already nightfall. Maybe Gray and Natsu had decided to tell someone who could help instead of rushing off themselves—though that was just the teeniest bit impossible for the two of them.

I had actually been keeping count of how many times I had managed to annoy Felix; the result was every minute. I could see he was losing his temper, and I was pushing him over the edge by my words, but I didn't really care.

There was a sudden tap on the window, and I would have jumped up in shock if I hadn't been roped. A face appeared in the darkness, but with hardly any light, I couldn't make out who it was.

The light bulb wasn't helping at all; all I could see were the cobwebs and cracks in the few corners of the wooden walls that were dimly lit, and Felix's face.

"In! Quickly!" Felix said, making a shooing motion with his hand to make the person move away from the window.

Moments later I got another pang of hopelessness and creepy-crawlies down my spine. It was the Bear-boy, who had almost squished the air out of my lungs at the beach. Amazing, how could a boy that thin do that? I wondered vaguely.

"Wow, you actually got her!" Bear-boy exclaimed once he came in with Felix who was scowling at the moment.

"Yeah, told you I would. Why are you here Beck? I told you I would get the money for all of us when Dragneel came."

I snorted in spite of myself. Beck, seriously? The name of an oh-so-scary and oh-so-villainous man was Beck? The name actually made me think of someone really cute and nice—which Bear-boy was not as a side note.

"Please share the joke." Beck said, each word filled with hatred. That was usually the teacher's dialogue; these useless kidnappers should really research a little more on doing stuff like this.

I was about to respond with something cutting, when I noticed something from the corner of my eye. I somehow pushed some of the hair— that was blocking whatever little view I had—with my shoulder and tried to look again.

The almost-falling-apart thin slices of what Felix may have called floorboards, suddenly moved a bit. It could have been a rat—since I could have opened a Buy One Rat Get One Free sale with the several ones here—but the wood was now lifting up slightly.

"Well? I'm still waiting you see." Beck said. I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue at him. Why was he making such a big deal out of me doing a small and innocent snort? Or was it not allowed?

But I was still squinting with fascination as one more piece of wood lifted, then one more. It was all in the same area that the pieces moved up; the now vacant center of the room. Bear-boy was right beside me, and facing me, while Felix was behind him, so they didn't notice the movement.

"The joke is," I started slowly and happily. "Your floor is flying."

Something was happening, and I got the feeling it was good. After all, the shack, however delicate it may be, could not break down from the bottom. Rats definitely wouldn't do that—at least I hoped so.

Which left only one option; a person was doing it. I knew it may have been their third companion, Jake, but I was crossing my fingers for the best.

"Indeed." Beck said impassively. Felix frowned at me, but stayed where he was. Somehow, I didn't really feel that Felix was truly cruel, just by looking at his eyes and uncomfortable face.

"You know, you jerks are wasting your time, as well as mine. Like I said, your floor is not on the ground anymore. So you would do good by at least checking whether we'll be buried alive by a monster house or something." I said coolly, trying to get them distracted.

But it looked like I crossed the line; Beck grabbed my throat and brought his face close to mine. I appreciated Felix's patience up till now suddenly, but didn't lose my charade.

"Being sober doesn't suit you." I commented rudely. Beck hissed and began to clutch my throat. It wasn't exactly hurting; I just felt a lot of pressure coming down on my neck before it began to ache.

"Beck!" Felix said suddenly. "Beck, stop!"

"I'm so sick of this girl! Didn't you say that Dragneel boy was coming? Well, then why do we need this brat anyway?"

Bear-boy really needed anger therapy. I was surprised at how I was being able to make out details of what was happening, even as I was just about to go into heaven and start playing the golden harp.

"Beck, look there!" Felix shouted suddenly, wrenching my about-to-be murderer away and pointing at the floor. I coughed and tried to massage my throat, but then remembered with a groan that I couldn't use my hands.

A hand pushed up the remains of a floorboard, and a head poked out. I gaped like a fish, even though I had been expecting something extraordinary, I hadn't been expecting Loke.

Then the other loose floorboards began to tremble, like I was in some sort of badly choreographed zombie movie, and four more heads poked out.

Gray, Natsu, Erza and Levy, in addition to the playboy, grinned with triumph, and then ripped the wood apart.

I couldn't figure out how Levy's small hands could manage that, but then I stamped the floor hard with my shoe once; and sure enough the sides of the vacant space where the wood had been placed showed up. One good stomp and I could have broken this part of the floor apart. Pity I didn't try that tactic earlier.

In minutes all my saviors were on the floor, with Levy dancing out of the way when some parts gave in. There were so many uneven and jagged places; anyone could have gotten a splinter. Anyone...could have gotten a splinter?

An idea formed in my mind as Loke and Natsu faced Felix and Beck. Gray ran to me and after a hasty untangling I was able to stretch my numb fingers again. I rubbed my throat a bit, before Gray caught me in a really tight hug.

I struggled for a few moments and choked out against his chest; "Can't…breathe!"

He quickly let me go and smiled; "Sorry."

"No problem. Okay, before I fall at your feet and thank you for saving me, we need to get rid of Beck's shoes." I said.

Gray stared at me with a blank expression. I glanced once at Erza, who was yelling at Felix while he tried to punch her, while Loke and Natsu were rounding on Beck, who had actually produced a gun out of his jacket.

I explained what I meant to Gray, and with a devious grin he nodded. I could see Levy was in trouble. Seeing her defenseless, Beck had managed to point the gun at her. She was trembling in fright, looking at me with wide eyes, her tiny frame shaking.

"Hello! Rule 101 of kidnapping; Never let the victim out of sight you dummies!" I lectured, waving my arms above my head at Bear-boy.

"Well, you won't be leaving your friend here in a hurry, will you?" Felix threatened, but Erza got him in a choke-hold and cursed some more.

I tried to keep Beck busy with my words, and Gray sneaked up behind Levy and him. Loke and Natsu had no idea what was going on, so I flashed them a thumbs up and beckoned them to move away.

I called Beck some pretty bad names, and the moment he stepped forward with the criminally world-known dramatic dialogue; "Why you—", Gray stepped on his shoe.

The situation was comical; Beck stumbled back and fell with his butt right onto a waiting and exceptionally sharp piece of wood. The gun flew out of his hands, and landed on top of Felix's head with a thump. Levy quickly ran out of harm's way and caught it deftly, just before it slid to the ground.

I shook my head reprovingly and said in mock dismay to Beck; "I was actually hoping your foot would get the blow, but well, what can we do?"

Beck wasted no time in scrambling up, but he had obviously not been listening to what Lucy the Great had been saying.

The shoe on his right foot was gone thanks to my boyfriend, so now he ended up with getting a splinter in that one too. Beck howled with rage and pain while Natsu stared in disgust.

"Aren't you supposed to be some super evil kidnappers?" He asked bluntly.

"We are!" Beck yelled.

Meanwhile, Felix was as white as paper. Erza glowered at him, shook him in twenty different places, and didn't stop to catch her breath even for a minute as she lectured him. My red-headed friend was almost scaring me.

"Hey, uh Erza? I'm sure the police can handle the rest! You can take a break now!" I said nervously.

But before she could yell out a reply, Natsu blocked my view, towering over Felix too—since my kidnapper was now crouched against the wall.

As Erza and Natsu terrified Felix to the point of death by practically doing nothing, Loke and Gray had Beck pinned down on the floor. Levy was looking only too glad, and now she threw her arms around my waist, making me uncomfortable with the gun hanging from her hand. I gently took it from her and kept it in a corner far from its owner.

"So," I started conversationally, going up to Gray and Loke. "You actually sent a rescue team for me? That too with Loke in it?"

"Nope. Only came because Fullbuster and Dragneel promised to pay me," Loke said, before adding gleefully; "With two hot girls each! I'm going to book the hotel room as soon as I finish with this maggot."

I held up a finger and said; "Loke, please control your need to spill out every detail of your personal life, would you?"

"Actually, he was the only one around us. Everyone was busy celebrating the girls' victory." Natsu said. Erza gave a huge sound of triumph from behind me as she clutched Felix.

The playboy snorted and Gray interrupted; "How do we get them out of here?"

I shrugged and said lazily; "I am the poor, confused victim. Aren't I supposed to be getting a little more attention?"

"I don't mind." Gray said mischievously. I glared at him before walking to where Erza and Natsu were in a huff.

I daintily patted Felix's head and smiled; "I think Felix here learnt his lesson very well, didn't he now? So he'll be a good boy now, won't he?" I cooed tauntingly. Felix managed to look up at me with a face full of loathing, and all my theory on him actually being good evaporated.

"This was real easy man!" Loke commented from the other side. "I didn't even get to show off my karate." He added with some disappointment.

I nodded in agreement; "Yeah, the first thing I'm going to do tomorrow is take these two potatoes to watch a gangster film. At least some sense of evil will register in their brains."

"Lucy, it's getting really late, Mom's going to kill me!" Levy said.

I realized I was being really selfish to drag them into this and waste so much time, so I said; "Erza, Natsu? Could you both drag—?"

I didn't even have to finish my sentence since Felix was being pulled by his arms and out of the shack by Erza, who had a determined look on her beautiful face. I wondered for a moment where Mira and Juvia were, and then felt relieved that at least they were not involved with this right now.

Levy followed them out, and I turned to Loke and Gray. But there was slight problem; Beck had apparently succeeded in getting the wood out of his foot, and now he thrashed so violently, Loke let go in a second of surprise.

That second was enough for Beck to grab Gray's shirt from behind, and I saw him take out something from his pocket and hold it near Gray's collarbone. Gray's eyes moved down once as he tried to move. I could sense that he was in that same hold Beck had got me in before.

For the first time, I was actually terrified. Before I could do anything or say anything witty, Natsu and Loke launched themselves on Beck.

"Move it, or I slit his throat!" I heard Bear-boy's voice.

"Get away!"

"Ouch!"

"Don't roll on me Natsu!"

All four boys tumbled over each other, as I watched with amazement. I really couldn't see how I could be of any help, but I strode over near the 'battle' and found Beck's leg.

I heaved as I tugged him out of the mess and onto the floor. He was clawing at the ground, but when he saw my face, he was all happy again.

"Hah! I got you again!"

I stared at him for a minute, questioning his sanity, then said; "Actually, it's the other way round. And anyway, if it's me you need, is there any necessity for you to hurt my friends?"

Beck sort of scrambled up, and I saw there was a blade in his hand, which meant he had been threatening Gray with that little weapon. I saw red and pushed him harshly towards the wall, using my foot too.

I had finally done it. The shack trembled and groaned like a sick elephant, and then the wall I had pushed Bear-boy against crumbled down. The roof started to break in different places, cracks appeared almost everywhere, and millions of wood shavings began to rain down on top of us. I felt sure that this place had either been made in just a day, or had been made thousand years ago, otherwise it wouldn't have collapsed like this.

"Lucy! Guys!" I heard Levy's voice call out from outside.

Beck was lying on the crumbled heap of the once-upon-a-time-wall and when the three boys and I came outside, I crouched near him and said softly; "Never even dare to point a blade near my boyfriend, get that?"

I swiftly turned around and walked to where Erza had hauled Felix and Levy was standing. Felix had been right, this was right behind the trail, but that didn't make the forest less creepy at night. The light bulb in the shack was naturally broken and history, so the trees and bushes were dark and pitch-black.

"We need to take the thugs to the police station at once." Loke ordered. I was surprised he had actually agreed to help me, even if he got girls in return.

"Yeah come on. Levy, you look like you're going to fall down any minute though that's my job, so you should get back." I said.

Levy shook her head, but I persuaded her to go back home. She looked really tired, the poor thing. Sigh, I really needed a little more spotlight, but whatever.

After a few minutes Loke agreed to take her back. I warned him with my eyes, knowing him, and he scowled with the offense before him and Levy walked back and out of the trail.

"Alright, come on, it's almost midnight." Natsu announced. I looked at him with gratitude once, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

"I'm glad you're safe Lucy. If this one had done anything to you, he would have me to see." Erza remarked as she tugged Felix by his hands like before. He was out cold, and his head bonked along the stones as we made our way outside. Natsu and Gray carried Beck, and if he struggled even once, I would thump him with a small log I had found earlier.

"I don't think he'll see anyone but you in his nightmares now," I muttered to myself, but inside I was not complaining. "By the way, how did you suddenly push yourselves out of the floor anyway?" I added a little louder.

"There was this tiny opening, like a door, behind the shack. We decided it would be better if we sneaked up instead of barging in." Natsu explained.

"Wouldn't make a difference either way. But you could have popped out under Felix's foot for all you know." I reasoned.

My friends gave a huge "Oh!" and smiled broadly as if they had just seen the light. I shook my head and giggled.

As Gray, Natsu and I brought up the rear, I asked; "How do we know the Dragneel family is safe?"

Natsu shrugged. "We have never really faced any major problems. These people can never do anything to us, whoever they talk to."

I bit my lip, unsure. Gray suddenly grinned and teased me; "You were telling Levy looked off? You should look at yourself."

I pouted, but he had managed to make me laugh a bit. Natsu took the lead and continued; "I looked up what stalker is!"

Gray rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, what is a stalker Dragneel?'

"A person who looks like a stalk!"

I blinked and laughed loudly. We had almost reached the police station according to Erza, since I never really saw one here in Magnolia. We walked for a few more minutes and reached the place. The houses near it were naturally dark and quiet, and the atmosphere was kind of eerie.

Once we were inside, I saw the place was lit with some blinding white light, even when it was this late, so that made up for the darkness outside. There was a desk with so many files and paper, that I didn't realize a person was behind them until I heard snoring.

Erza and I went around, and then poked the man. He was sleeping with his head slumped on a closed ink bottle, and drooling from the side of his mouth.

We posh girls stepped away in disgust, and let the boys do the waking up job. Once he was awake, two more people came in at the racket the first guy was causing just because we 'ruined' his beauty nap. As if we would walk into a police station at midnight to wake up drooling men for a game of chess.

All four of us shouted and yelled out the situation to the people, gesturing violently to Felix and Beck, trying to explain from the beginning.

After a while, everyone calmed down, and then who I presumed was the head said; "They will be imprisoned anyway. Kidnapping is still a crime, whether there was a proper reason behind it or not."

I narrowed my eyes and said exasperatedly; "Did anyone say you cannot imprison them?"

"Well, no. But what about the matter with the money young lady? That needs to be sorted out too."

"Yeah, but why are you telling me? Go hunt down Jude Heartfilia then."

"Young lady, if he's your father—"

I groaned and stood up. Then I pointed from one place to the other and explained; "Look, these two go jail. Once they can come out, get a lawyer to help with the money. Then they can go in peace, you can sleep in peace, and I can go home and live a life in peace!"

For once my words were taken into account, and after another half an hour of torture that included loads of paperwork and names of our parents, we all could come out. Felix had woken up once, and literally hidden behind the inspector upon seeing Erza. I remembered to dig out my cell phone from his pocket before going out.

Erza and Natsu went back to home, and I felt immensely guilty at the thought of their parents worrying about their absence, but both of them waved it off. I myself felt like sinking into the ground when Mom found out about this.

Gray practically forced me to let him drop me home, so I ran all the way because I really didn't want him to get anymore late than he already was.

When I reached my door, I dug out the key from under the mat— a classic and not all imaginative place my mother likes to keep it when I don't have it—and came inside.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Gray said anxiously. He looked like he wanted to say more, but didn't.

"Hurry up and go home." I said fiercely, before pressing my lips to his once, and shutting the door. There was a voice message on the phone which said Mom would return in the afternoon. That was only too good for me, and I mentally thanked whichever of her friends had decided to go somewhere for the night with her, even if it was slightly weird.

I switched on some of the lights, and almost screamed when I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was matted down to my forehead, except the parts that were all tangled and curled up near my shoulder, my once-white sports outfit was now stained with different shades of brown, my face was all flustered and hot, and my arms were dirty with grass sticking on them.

Even if it was an incredibly stupid idea, I actually took a bath at one in the morning. Finally feeling fresh, I went up to my room. I had not realized it, but I was really tired and sore all over, so I somehow clambered onto my bed and curled up in a ball to sleep.

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**I tried to make this long, and I hope you guys liked it :) I am going to try and update tomorrow again, but if I can't I'll again have to do it in the weekend. Sorry for the late update! Please review guys :)**


	16. Chapter 16- Explanations and Favours

**I am so very sorry for updating this late, guys. I am really sorry, so please forgive me; I had to finish a lot of things, and I was also a bit lazy! And massive thanks to my new reviewers, followers and favouriters- Salamander27, LnknInsanity and EllieBloodStain.**

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**Chapter Sixteen- Explanations and Favours **

I sneezed twice and clung to my pillow. I had officially learnt that you should never take a bath at one in the morning unless you want to use up all the tissues in your house.

Huge Sunday surprise—I had a fever. It was late in the morning, and I was still on my bed, feeling absolutely wretched. My hair was all over my face, but I couldn't bother to brush it back, and my eyes were burning. After another ten minutes of sniffing pathetically, I decided to get out of bed to at least make myself the civilized human being I once was.

My dreams hadn't exactly been too much of help for any beauty sleep either; Felix and Bear-boy kept flashing around in my mind, along with houses breaking down on top of me.

With a great deal of effort I clawed myself to the edge of the bed, imagined I was up on my feet, and fell onto the blue floor carpet.

I scolded myself harshly for being so lame and weak. After all, I just been kidnapped till midnight, got a bad fever, and wild nightmares; that wasn't any reason for me to turn into a dangling daisy flower!

I stood up somehow, and immediately felt dizzy and disoriented. Trying to ignore the fact that the walls of my room were dancing a jig around me, I came out my room and crossed the corridor to the bathroom in the opposite room. I stared at myself in the mirror; red eyes, red nose, bedraggled face, and hair sticking out in every direction. I looked lovely.

After a while I looked a bit more like Lucy Heartfilia again, but I didn't have any energy to go down. Of course my lucky stars heard that, so they promptly made the doorbell ring.

I came down to open the door wearily. It swung open to reveal Layla, standing there with a grim face.

"Morning," I said hoarsely. Mom's face changed a bit as she took in my state, before coming inside and settling herself at the table. From the looks of it, I was in trouble.

"What happened to you Lucy?" she began.

"Fever." I answered warily.

"Did you get this fever when you were running around getting criminals caught?"

I coughed and looked away. "Um, I was sort of—"

"Do you know how worried you got me?" Mom said finally, her eyebrows creasing.

"How did you know?" I asked, fidgeting with my T-shirt.

"I know Jacob."

I blinked. "Say what?"

"Jacob is the chief inspector. He knows you're my daughter too. And he informed me about a very strange tale that happened while I was gone." Layla explained.

Gee, Mom was being so sympathetic to me. I looked back at her and said; "Well, I didn't want to worry you. I sort of got…uh…kidnapped, so—"

One look at her face, and I knew Twinkle Toes Jacob hadn't informed Mom about why I was wasting an hour of my life in the police station. I sighed and sat down, before telling what had actually happened.

At last when I was done reliving my happy experiences, she hugged me, then shouted at me, then abruptly started to cry. Finally I ended up making tea for her so that she could calm down. So much for some pampering and attention when you get sick.

"Where were you anyway?" I asked, starting to feel cold for some reason.

"The girls at the café and I went to visit Sarah. She had the new catalogues we needed." Mom said. I didn't know who Sarah was, but obviously she lived out of town. Maybe there was going to be some development in the café or something.

"I'm going to bed." I muttered, rubbing my arms. Layla remembered I was sick, and guilt flashed across her face before she nodded.

Half an hour later I was feeling much better after chugging down whatever Mom had prepared with my eyes scrunched shut. She spent some time cleaning and doing all the stuff I don't bother about. She didn't want to go to work because I was sick, but I all but pushed her out of my room, finally persuading her.

I was about to doze off for some more good hours, but my cell phone interrupted it as usual. I snatched it from under my pillow, where it had somehow been wedged while I was tossing about, and saw it was Gray.

"Hello?" I croaked.

"Uh, hi. What happened to your voice?" he asked curiously.

"I'm sick, genius." I said.

After a few minutes of 'The world is going to end' exclamations from Gray, he said; "Okay, so can we come over?"

I frowned and asked; "We? Who else is with you?"

"Mirajane and Juvia have been bugging me from morning, and Levy's here too."

I was temporarily dumbstruck. What were my friends doing at Gray's place?

"Alright, you guys you can come. And remember to bring all the tissue paper you can find." I added. From the sound of it, Gray suppressed a laugh before hanging up.

I groaned as I remembered that I would have to go down again to open the door; how tactless of me. Perhaps being sick affected my usually wonderful brain.

I lay in the bed and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about everything that had happened yesterday. I couldn't believe I had actually got myself kidnapped and rescued all in one day; at least it was one of the most eventful Sports Days ever.

I glanced over at the pile of homework, projects and models I had to finish for tomorrow and sighed. I had been neglecting studies too much.

And then my thoughts drifted to Natsu…stupid Natsu. He was really weird; simply refused to become a friend, and not more. And then he would help me massively, and make me feel guilty. He wouldn't even stop competing with Gray, nor would my boyfriend do the same. Who knew what he was trying to prove?

I heard the faint ringing of the doorbell as I went in and out of my dreams, before it rang really loud, and the poor front door received another banging—it wouldn't last long if everyone coming to my house battered it down—and I shot up from my bed.

It was Erza standing at on the porch. She beamed at me, and then looked at me top to bottom, as if I was a car she was contemplating whether to buy or not.

"Mira called me, and said they were heading to your place," Erza explained. "Are the others here?" she added. I shook my head in response.

"Okay, news is I'm sick, Gray and the others are coming here, and next time someone rings the bell, you open it." I said, already on my way up.

Erza nodded and followed me up to my room, where she widened her eyes, and I flopped down on my bed.

"Luce, when was the last time you cleaned this place?" she asked, horrified.

"Huh? On Wednesday I guess." I yawned.

"And you're aware that your bed looks like a nest?"

"Same old, same old." I muttered.

Erza shook her head in disapproval, and set to work; in converting my normally messy room into heaven's chamber from the look on her face. She went about so fast, I couldn't keep track, before I opened my eyes to see my books back in place, my growing pile of work settled on one side of my desk neatly, my bag where it's supposed to be, and my cupboard almost sparkling.

"Erza, you just destroyed my room!" I exclaimed in mock dismay.

"Yeah well, now it's time to destroy your bed. Up you get!"

"Really, all the concern makes me cry with pleasure." I muttered, getting up, just as my cue to open the door came again. Naturally, Erza ignored it.

I sighed and opened the darn door for what I hoped was the last time today. This time it was Gray, Levy, Mira and a stony Juvia.

"Has no one thought this poor, sick girl has to do all the work?" I cried out in frustration, even though I was happy to see them.

"We have a lot to talk about!" Mira and Juvia said, while Levy looked at me with much missed concern.

"Yeah, you're right, you really shouldn't work that much." Gray said, before lifting me up easily and making his way up the stairs.

I blushed furiously and saw Juvia breaking out of her grim expression for a moment through the gap between Gray's left arm. My room proudly displayed it's fully damaged and manipulated self as I was lowered onto my bed.

"I'm not an invalid!" I complained, but very softly.

I propped myself up on two pillows, and everyone sat around me. Juvia and Mira started first—as they were looking like they would burst if they didn't talk soon.

"What happened with Felix?"

"Where were you? Juvia got so worried!"

"You mind explaining how you got him caught?"

"Exactly how did Felix get hold of you? After your race?"

My two friends shot questions at me without a pause, obviously unaware that I didn't have enough time to even process one.

I held up a finger, coughed, and said very solemnly; "All that you seek shall be answered in good time. However, I would request you to ask Sir Fullbuster and Madam Scarlet, instead of me."

Everyone except Levy was glaring daggers at me now, so I pouted and began to explain from the beginning; and it wasn't fun, reliving the entire thing. The only good part was where I got to say how Beck got a splinter in his butt. I was tired of all the explanations that needed to be given out to everyone.

"And now I'm here, completely safe and sound with a couple of sneezes to top it all." I finished.

I learnt that they were pretty annoyed at Gray and Natsu for not informing them too, but Erza said that it wouldn't be safe for so many people to go wandering out from the school.

Mira and Juvia finally calmed down, and took care not to shout my ears off anymore much to my relief.

"You guys will get bored here, you know." I said worriedly after a while. I was feeling guilty again. Goodness knew when my guilt jar would stop filling up, and lessen a bit.

"Well, can you hear us complaining?" Levy scolded.

I grinned, and then another bomb dropped on my already much bombed head as Erza piped up; "Did you finish that English project? And the Biology model for tomorrow?"

"Let me answer for her; she didn't." Gray took one look at my frozen face and replied instead.

"Uh, what did we have to do anyway?" I asked. All my friends stared at me, sighed, and got up to bring all my work stuff onto the bed. We spent the rest of the afternoon finishing my project.

It turned out that Juvia and Levy had not done the Biology model either, so they rushed off to bring their stuff, and dumped them back on my sick bed in ten minutes.

We had to make models of the digestive system, or any one of the unicellular organisms. I chose digestive system—one of the biggest mistakes in my life. It turned out to be an utter disaster.

"Is this organ supposed to be flat?" I wondered, once the entire thing was done.

Juvia shook her head, very amused, but then I pointed out that the marbles in her 'Amoeba' were coming out, and that shut her up.

"Alright, it's over!" Erza yelled obliviously, as if we had just finished battling with all the armies on this earth. I gingerly put my not-in-the-least-pleasant model on my desk by stretching, and yawned. It was nearly four in the evening.

"Anyone hungry?" Gray voiced my thoughts. We all nodded vigorously, and stared expectantly at him.

"What?" he asked, bewildered, the poor boy.

"Get the food!" I ordered.

"But—"

Erza and Mira pushed him out of the room as I giggled. In comparison to my state in the morning, I was much better. Minutes later Gray came up, his arms full with some huge, black bowl full of pasta.

"Where did you get that?" I asked, surprised.

"Your mom left a note."

My friends and I whiled away the evening talking, but Levy and Mira had to go. Gray tried fixing my computer, and got a mild electric shock, and by the time Mom came back, everyone had headed back. Mom eagerly showed me the new items they were planning to place in their café, and I drooled over some of them.

I didn't bother to check my project or my homework as I sank into my pillows at night, like the way I should have. But I thought I could get one nerd-free day off. Hopefully, I could skip school tomorrow.

* * *

"Cool, your fever's gone!"

"Hey, good you could come Luce!"

"Yeah, that's me. The lucky girl who gets to give the Geography test." I muttered to myself, shoving my books into the locker. My fever had gone down completely, and I was as happy about that as I would be happy about getting married to a crow.

"Lucy!" A boy called enthusiastically from behind. Levy, who was right beside me, grinned mischievously.

Natsu Dragneel skidded down the corridor and grinned at me while I looked at him impassively.

"Let's hang out after school!" he suggested. How could he possibly morph from sensible to stupid overnight, will remain the world's greatest unsolved mystery ever.

"I can't." I replied in a bored monotone, as Levy and I walked towards our class. Dragneel followed, unfortunately. All my gratitude for him had long melted, as he pouted at me.

"Why not? Please? You always go around with Fullbuster!"

"That's because he's my boyfriend."

Natsu pondered this for a moment, and then said; "Well, then I can become your boyfriend too!" Levy started to laugh so hard, I whacked her with my folder—almost dropping my model— before whacking Natsu too.

"Go to your class Natsu!"

"Yes ma'am!" he ran off in the opposite direction.

I trudged into my Biology class, where the teacher made us all put our models on our desks. Unfortunately, Loke was sitting beside me, and he had a literally sparkling model of the digestive system, making mine look like a shabby tricycle next to a shiny bike.

"Ms. Heartfilia!" the teacher barked. I gulped and pointed at my model.

"What is that?"

"The digestive system?"

"Have you used a hose pipe?"

"Uh, sort of?"

Naturally, I came out of the class with a big, fat fail. Not that I cared, because my marks were high in this subject, save this disastrous test.

I endured the lectures of Elfman, telling me to be a man and solve the geometry problem, completely ignoring me protesting that I am a girl in Math; Gildarts's surprise test in English, and all the other subjects till the bell for after-school rang.

Levy and I met up with Gray, Gajeel and Fried on our way out, and a suddenly blushing Mira and Erza joined us. But before Gray and I could go left, Erza hauled us both back by the collar, and announced tearfully;

"Lucy! Levy! Gildarts said he's going to ban our club and give our room to the band members!" Erza was positively howling as Mira patted her head and Juvia tried not to laugh. I glanced at her and glared at her to stop.

I had learnt that Gildarts was the head of the clubs, and it seemed all co-curricular events that were carried out, had Gildarts kept in-charge.

"But why does he want to do that?" I asked. Gray was fidgeting impatiently behind me, so I pushed Fried towards him so they could resume their boring talk about the next match, which ended quickly—a huge achievement on the two boy's part—but that didn't help me in the slightest.

"We need money to keep the club running! The school won't be paying for us!"

I racked my brains to remember which club she was in, but couldn't remember. So I just asked her; "Which club?"

"The Social Services one. It used to suck before, but we've had all these interesting projects and trips since Alice became head."

I pursed my lips, and Levy, Mira, Juvia and I shared a silent look. Seriously, I hated that future-writing man in the Land of Idiots, as Juvia offered with a sigh.

"Okay, Erza. Juvia and the others will help you earn some money for the club to keep going. Any ideas?"

Erza—whose head had been utterly downcast in literal sense—looked up at all of us with a glowing face and squashed the breath out of my lungs as she hugged me.

"Lucy! Let's go for that movie already!" Gray whined, poking my back and playing with my ponytail.

"Wait for a few minutes." I muttered, gasping as Erza let go of me.

"Aren't any of your other members helping out?" Mira asked her, and she nodded.

"Yeah, they've gone out just after the bell rang. They were hounding me to do something too, so I asked you all for help." I rolled my eyes. Why couldn't she do it herself? But none of us had the heart to reject.

"Well," Erza began cautiously, "I have an idea how to get some money, but I don't want to do it alone, that's why I asked you guys to too, and—"

"Spit it out!" Levy urged, checking her watch and glancing at Gajeel.

"It's this kids' birthday party! We need to help out, and...uh…they also want us to perform something, like a song, or dance—"

My red-headed friend turned the color of her hair, and faltered under our demonic looks—for a change. After ten minutes of negotiating, yelling, pouting, refusing, giving in and Gray going completely crazy with waiting…the fortune-writer won. So we all had to do this huge favor to her; and it definitely wasn't my cup of tea.

"Alright, alright! We'll do it!" Mira, Levy, Juvia and I shouted in unison.

It was decided to meet at Erza's house after school the next day, and then make our way wherever this stupid party would be. I really had no idea why I had agreed, but it was too late to take it back. Fried offered to take Mira home, and she started to stutter furiously, while Levy and Gajeel went on ahead in a hurry.

"By now, the movie theater is probably having half-time," Gray complained, as he dragged me towards the theater. He had been brandishing the tickets in front of my face when I walked into school this morning, and given such puppy faces, I had to resign and go with him.

The theater was even further from that horrible fancy restaurant I had been to once, and it kind of looked like a creepy, old mansion to me. Gray's dark predictions turned out false; the movie was just starting as I bought some popcorn and prepared to doze the time off—even if Gray looked hot in the darkness of the theater and just the projector light.

In the seats in front of us, two kids were urging their father to get out already, and I groaned internally, thinking about the kids we would have to endure the next day.

But then, at the moment, I should just enjoy the popcorn in peace.

* * *

**I tried to make it a little long, and I hope you guys liked it :) I will try to update as soon as I can, and also not to keep everyone waiting for too long! If anyone's interested, you can check out some of the one-shots I have written! Please review, I need to know your thoughts :)**


	17. Chapter 17- Chaos Corner

**I'm very sorry about the late update again guys! I tried to make this chapter slightly longer to try and make up. And thank you to all my new reviewers, followers and favouriters- 88XeqtionerAngel88, FiorellaMaxine, One-Piece123, Paris The Kuro Neko, mcxynth123, o0sHaYeRa0o, and Moka Kujyou.**

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen- Chaos Corner**

I tapped my pen on the sheet of paper, my eyes on the questions, and my mind elsewhere. I glanced up to see Evergreen, the English teacher, polishing her nails at the desk, oblivious to Rogue in the seat behind me, who was snoring away to glory.

I looked out of the window to my left, and saw that Gray was having Games class at the moment, while I got to sit and give the test. I watched him lazily as he beat Sting and Fried at running, and sprinted back to retrieve a ball. I was feeling drowsy, and I kept thinking of that stupid kid's birthday party after school. Why did I ever agree to help Erza?

"Is there a problem, Ms. Heartfilia?"

I snapped my head up—a little too fast. Rubbing my neck, I looked up to see the teacher standing a few metres from my desk, her eyebrows raised.

"None at all." I muttered, going back to the paper. I forced myself to focus for a few minutes, and quickly wrote my remaining answers, before bundling everything up, and waiting for the bell to ring.

Finally it did, and Levy and I quickly gave our papers, while I slung the strap of my bag around my shoulder and we dashed out of class.

I had already told Mom I would be returning home late due to the party, and she thankfully agreed. Adding to my relief, she would be spending more time at the café anyway.

On our way out to meet Juvia so that we could head for Erza's house, Levy bumped into Gray. That really should've been my position; what was with typical romance these days? Bump in the corridor was entirely the first step!

Gray grimaced and apologized to Levy, who shook it off. I was about to say goodbye to Gray, when my best friend suddenly peered up at him, and a sudden smile formed on her small face.

"Hey, Lucy?" she started conversationally. I raised my eyebrows, and gestured for her to continue.

"Don't you think we will need more people for the party? After all, it's a big thing!" Gray's face took on a suspicious look as he looked from Levy to me.

A perfect scene where I could kick back and not do anything for the stupid birthday party formed devilishly in my oh-so-imaginative mind as I nodded vigorously.

"I do! Come on Gray!" I sang, grabbing his arms and dragging him near the main school gates. Juvia was waiting there, and she raised her eyebrows when she saw Gray.

"We got a volunteer!" I said brightly.

Gray already knew everything about the birthday party for the club money from me, and I was pretty certain he didn't want to get involved. Sure enough, he began to protest at once.

Juvia, Levy and I looked at each other, and then I took a deep breath, using my cutest, most appealing look ever along with my other two friends.

"Please Gray?" I asked, pouting slightly— just like Mira had taught me; bless her and her girl charm tricks.

The corner of Gray's mouth twitched as he seemed to be going through some internal war with himself. Then he threw his hands up in the air, groaned and said; "Alright, Luce! Let's get this over with!"

I cheered happily, and the four of us made our way to Erza's house.

Her house was fairly big; a little more than Gray's. It had a huge garden with strawberry plants, and there were two steps leading up to her black door with an interesting knocker; a lion's head, with the base curving down as the handle.

Juvia knocked twice, and a beautiful woman with short, red hair like my friend's opened the door, her hands covered in flour.

"You must be Erza's friends, right?" she asked politely, when she saw us. I nodded, waiting for Erza and Mira to come already; the sooner this was over, the better.

The woman threw her head back and called for her daughter, who came down with Mira and someone who I couldn't see properly. Erza was holding some paper in her hand, and looking flustered.

Her mom smiled once, and exited from the door as my two friends came out. I turned around to walk down and give them some space with Levy, when Gray gave a cry of annoyance, and I heard an all-too-familiar voice mimic the sound.

"I'm so NOT going with him!" Gray protested, pointing at Natsu Dragneel and looking at me.

I was temporarily dumbstruck, as I saw Natsu pointing to my boyfriend in exactly the same way and with equal horror, whining to Erza.

"Lucy!"

"Erza!"

Everyone was either staring at me or Erza now, some confused, some horrorstruck, some getting impatient.

"Erza? What in the world is Pinky doing here?" I demanded. Erza shrugged vaguely, and kept her eyes on the paper she was holding.

"We needed more people, because Grandine called me to say that more kids are coming." She explained vaguely.

I blinked, forgetting about our uninvited guest for the minute. "Granny who?" I asked.

The red-head looked up and frowned at me; "Grandine, not Granny!"

"When you've all finished discussing grandmothers and dinner, can we get going?" Gray complained loudly. I was surprised; he wasn't usually like this, maybe it was the 'Natsu Influence.'

I nodded, deciding to go along with it. Maybe I would get lucky and all the kids would go for Natsu upon seeing his pink hair. Anyway it was about to be twilight, and I didn't want to waste more time.

As we walked, Mira and I fell back to discuss the matter with Erza though, who said that she had met Natsu while coming back home from school, and he had seen the paper in her hands; which gave instructions about where this party was, and the directions.

"I told him you guys were coming, and he offered to help me." Erza concluded, while I rolled my eyes and sighed as Natsu quickly winked at me from front and put his hands behind his head again, whistling carelessly. In case I hadn't made the point perfectly clear to him by now, he was a complete and utter baboon to me, so flirting winks wouldn't work.

Natsu plus offer plus help equaled fishy; and I was pretty sure he was trying to compete with Gray again. When would he give up? But of course, I should be blaming it on my irresistible charm I suppose.

* * *

"We need to take a car from here!" Erza commanded once we reached the highway. I was standing near an annoying tree, and its branches were poking my back, so I promptly moved away to stand beside Gray.

"Huh! I could run faster!" Natsu exclaimed haughtily. I narrowed my eyes, picked up a broken branch and whacked him on the head with it.

"Shut up and do what she says." I ordered, while Gray laughed shamelessly until I glared at him to stop; halfheartedly though.

We waited for a cab which would probably never come from the looks of it. Finally—just as I was about to start groaning in frustration again—a battered, shabby old car rolled across the narrow path on the side of the main road, and screeched to a halt in front of us.

"Need a ride Missy?" A bald man poked his head out of the driver's seat, and smiled at me and Levy, showing off the lack of his teeth in a silly grin—which was extremely perverted for an old man like him.

I coughed and glanced at Erza, who was definitely desperate to get there in time, so the seven of us grudgingly squashed ourselves into the cab. It reeked of old socks and alcohol inside, and the paint was peeling off in places. Juvia screamed when a caterpillar fell on her jeans, and Natsu just picked it up before getting in himself, looked at it curiously, and flung it into a dustbin nearby.

There wasn't enough space in the backseat, so I had to sit between Gray's legs, and Levy, being tiny, managed to sit on Erza's lap. Mira and Natsu were in the front, while Juvia had her eyes and nose scrunched up in disgust at the beautiful cab beside Erza, who swiftly gave instructions to our equally charming cab-man.

Gray's breath on my neck was extremely distracting, and I could almost hear him smirk when I whispered at him to move his head back a bit. Naturally he ignored it, so I leaned forward to get some more details about this 'job', since I was still at a loss to where we were headed.

"The party is held at a place on Almond Street, and it's a little far off from the post office. Grandine is Wendy's mother, and she lives near my house, so she asked me if I would help, as Wendy was invited. And the kid who has the birthday is some boy called Michael; he's six."

I understood this was to the extreme western part of Magnolia, and I had never been too far to the left from my house, it was always to the east where I went.

Erza took in a breath after explaining everything, and then I suddenly remembered she had said something about performing something for the kids.

"Uh, so what are we doing as entertainment?" I asked tentatively, while Gray's hand rubbed circles on my back for no proper reason.

Mira laughed from the front and said, "Don't freak Luce out too much right away, Erza!"

I rolled my eyes as Levy and I laughed. But Erza was fidgeting as she replied—and whenever Erza Scarlet fidgeted taking me into account, I got super nervous.

"I'm sure some clown or some silly magician will be there Lucy, don't worry about that part. Concentrate on taking care of the kids."

I nodded solemnly; "Sure, that will be no problem! Handle six-year olds with a cake at stake, and dance while singing Humpty Dumpty for them. The usual stuff, right?"

Juvia finally opened her eyes and un-wrinkled her nose to grin at me, before she muttered blackly, "Juvia thinks something is crawling up her leg." And with that she resumed her original facial expression from the start of the cab-journey.

"Gray, you kill it." I ordered promptly, while my boyfriend snorted and muttered something under his breath.

"We're here, madams!" The bald man exclaimed after twenty minutes of snickering, as if he had just won some Nobel Prize for Best Toothless Grin Ever.

"I'm not a girl, old man!" Natsu complained loudly. I was surprised he had managed to keep quiet and not talk for the ride, and suspected that had a lot to do with Mira's indecent squat on the cramped up front seat.

The seats squeaked loudly as we tumbled off onto a pavement, and Erza paid the man, while he hiccupped. I watched in amusement and disgust as he tore away down the street, the cab bumping up and down with careless driving.

"One of these days, hopefully, he'll find a good old grandmother to keep busy with." Levy commented, stretching her arms and looking around.

We were on a wide pavement with the main road in front of us, where the car left us. There was a long line of trees along the middle of the road, from where a U-turn formed, and there were several shops and narrow alleys behind us.

"Okay, it's Block Three, to the right of the chocolate factory." Erza said, checking her map with a frown on her pretty face.

"There's a chocolate factory in Magnolia?" I asked; all smiles.

Gray shook his head firmly and said; "No visits to factories! I'm the world's best boyfriend to agree to help you with this kid party, so let's make a move before evening." Natsu grimaced at that, and turned away childishly; that spelled 'weird' in big, bold letters.

I pouted, but the seven of us began to take down the pavement, until we reached a small neighbourhood, with very large and expensive looking houses. Following my red-headed friend, we took a sharp right turn, and arrived at a huge, white mansion, that had a garden centering it.

The garden and its trees were draped in crepe paper streamers, balloons and twinkling lights, which were beginning to look brighter as sunset approached. I heard squeals and music from the inside, and gazed up to see the wardrobe sized windows lit up.

"I'm guessing this is the place, but I may be wrong!" Levy said sarcastically, looking almost as scoffing as I was. I was still not used to rich places like this, but at least this was smaller than Natsu's house.

My friends and I made our way to the mahogany front door, and Mira gently pressed the doorbell. The tinkering sound rang all over the house, and seconds after the door swung open without so much as a creak.

Erza went up first, and the six of us stood behind her awkwardly, while Juvia turned to look at the barbecue stands placed near a few bushes.

A well-dressed man with a wide forehead and gargoyle like eyes peered down at us, and then smiled—freaking poor Levy out.

"Teenagers! To help?" He said, gesturing us in.

"Nope, just decided to come here for a stroll," I muttered, but Mira elbowed me in the ribs and grinned.

The man, whose surname was apparently Sanders, called for his wife before disappearing behind two glass doors. The floors were wooden, and the glass doors, stretching out from the left wall, were right in front us. I made out the outlines of several kids, and the shouts and squeals increased as a tall brunette woman came bustling up.

She introduced herself as Marge, and then after a few minutes of boring conversation, she ushered us behind the doom-doors, and I gasped.

The place was huge, and whether it was the living room or simply just some great vacant space for parties, I couldn't figure out. There were flickering multicolored lights all around, balloons everywhere, a massive cake on a burdened coffee table, two rows of long tables where food was kept, and the remaining house sized area was covered with dancing, jumping, playing and fighting little children.

I turned to see the few parents quickly exit; obviously relieved someone would now take care that the kids wouldn't demolish the house.

"Alright, so what do we do now?" I yelled at Erza, trying to make myself heard over the music.

"Stop that one from committing suicide!" Gray yelled in response instead, frantically pointing behind me.

Levy and I whirled to see a small girl with little pigtails, clambering up onto the cabinets jutting out just above the food tables, and preparing to sit on an overhanging lamp. The ceiling was very high up, so it would be a nasty drop for the girl.

Natsu—before I could kick him to stay where he was—dashed off near the tables and clambered onto them while the rest of stood gaping. Squishing his shoes nicely into pasta and mayonnaise, kicking aside French Fries, he jumped up to grab the protesting nitwit and jumped back down, looking pleased.

Mira tugged my arm, and I saw a slightly secluded part of this 'room'; so while Erza, Juvia and Levy went over to the other side where a biscuit fight was going on; Gray, Mira and I rushed with Natsu to that area.

The girl was glaring at Natsu—surprise, surprise; as if any girl on the earth wouldn't—so I pushed him out of the way and crouched down in front of her.

"Hey little one!" I started, and Gray looked impressed. Apparently not the girl;

"I'm Rachel, and I'm not little." She huffed and turned away. I rolled my eyes and tried again.

"Rachel? That's a sweet name! Now, don't go leaping on lamps, will you? Your pretty dress will be spoilt!"

Rachel gave me a look of impatience, and muttered; "You're weird. Go away."

Biting my cheek and keeping my backlash in my throat, I stood up and walked back to my original place, while Mira handed a candy from nearby to Rachel in hopes of pacifying.

For a while, everything was going fine, until the birthday boy made an appearance. I was talking with Gray and Levy, cuddling a five year old— and a very sweet boy— at the same time, when the demon made her entry.

"Who the hell invited you Heartfilia?" I snapped my head towards the voice, and let go of the boy, who scurried off towards a group of girls.

Mia Kane stood in the centre of the room, and a little, dark haired boy hugged her leg.

"Happy Birthday Michael!" he yelled, running towards a blonde boy. Marge re-entered and went over to some other kids who had just come in after the Kanes.

"I invited myself, cool right?" I said, smiling. But Mia had noticed MY boyfriend, and she sidled over to us, supplying a sickly sweet smile to him.

"Hi Gray!" she drawled.

"Goodbye." Gray replied, before taking my arm and pulling me to the other side. Moments later, I learnt that Mia's cousin was invited, so she had come as his babysitter.

"Do me a favor," I mumbled, "And murder her someday." Levy laughed, and suddenly pointed towards my right.

I giggled as I saw two girls practically tearing Natsu's hair out as Erza and him came towards us, Juvia following with a grumpy expression; seems like Lucy the Great's predictions came true again.

"It's time for cake!" Marge announced, and the children all squealed, and bumped into each other as they filed out of the doors and into the garden.

I checked my watch, and pursed my lips at seeing it was only five thirty in the evening. The oh-so-lucky seven of us headed out too, and the twenty or so kids were crowded around the same coffee table which had been inside, now brought out by the Sanders.

"Pinky Boy! Play with us!" A boy shouted to Natsu, who comically banged his forehead on the wall, before walking over to them, howling away.

"Watch out, Lucy!" Mia's voice rang out without any warning, and before I could make sense of anything, she had pushed me from behind. I stumbled, and fell onto a doughnut, kept on a plastic plate on the soft grass.

Why would someone keep a doughnut on the grass? I heard someone crying, and when I lifted my head, I saw a blue-haired girl staring down at me.

"You spoilt my doughnut!" she accused. Forgetting my horrible facial condition for a moment, I apologized to her, and learnt that she was Wendy.

"I'm too old for this party anyway!" she complained proudly, before carefully going in again to get a new doughnut I supposed. A woman, who I took as Grandine, smiled sheepishly at me, before hurrying over to Marge.

"Chocolate Face! Chocolate Face!" The kids screamed in delight, while Gray hurriedly gave me a tissue paper—as if I hadn't had enough of them when I was sick. Mia laughed, and smirked at me from behind Marge.

At last, the vanilla cake was cut, Michael got his birthday song, and the children played hectic games of 'musical chair', and whatnot.

But of course, why should the fortune-writer give up and not let me enjoy my bad luck to the fullest? It didn't take long for the kids to start screaming that they were getting bored.

The few parents who were present, were massaging their temples, and looking at my friends and me beseechingly. Marge wasted no time in asking us to do something 'entertaining' for the children, but excluded Natsu since his hair had captured a few lucky ones.

One boy suddenly chomped down, right on his pink hair, thinking it was candy floss—and I must say, that was the best moment of my life.

"Luce, come on! Just sing something, and Gray and Mira can dance!" Erza ordered, pushing us three to the centre of the garden, ignoring our indignant protests.

"It's your club money, you do something!" Levy argued.

But Mia had other plans. Very enthusiastically, she joined us in the centre, and then declared loudly to the sitting kids.

"Alright you guys! Who wants to watch Blondie be my pony?"

I shook my head horrified, and searched the crowd for Wendy for some support; but she was nowhere to be seen. In response, there was an encouraging cheer from the children instead. So I went down on all fours, and then Mia knocked the breath out of my lungs by sitting on my back.

For revenge, I quickly lurched back, throwing her off. Unfortunately, I threw her right near a barbecue stand, and it toppled with the meat dropping right onto her hair, making a sizzling sound; cool contrast to her screams though.

The kids enjoyed that apparently, but we couldn't have a replay. I tried singing, but the love song was boring for them, and Juvia and Levy had to waddle about like penguins when Mia acted as some robot controller, grinning away. Then she made me make monkey sounds, but it wasn't too hard as I had a live example telling me to do it, like I mentioned to Mia.

Finally, I sat on the grass while Gray and Erza fell over each other trying to dance, and Levy was half-crying in a comical manner as she sang 'Once I was a Carrot', which I had never heard before.

By the time we went back into the house, I realized that the food was still uneaten. Marge was shocked to see Natsu's shoe prints on the pizza, but decided not to comment on it.

I lost my appetite when a boy fell on his butt into the salad, so I simply closed my eyes and thought of a happy place.

Since when did Lucy have a happy place where Mia was involved? There was a shriek and I clatter, and I opened my eyes to see Erza's face covered in white icing, a strawberry on her nose, and another one slowly falling down her collarbone.

"What did you do?" Erza started, and I thought she was talking about her face, but nope, of course not; "How could you waste this much cake?" she concluded, not looking very grim with cream on her eyebrows.

Levy actually scooped some up with her fingers, ate it, and commented; "Hey, this is good!"

I suppressed a laugh, and saw that two girls had aimed their pieces of uneaten cake on my friend under Mia's instructions, but my laughter was cut short when I received another piece on my shirt and legs.

"I'm short on purple tops!" I complained, stepping away a bit in disgust. It was a nightmarish experience as a full-fledged cake fight emerged, and we ducked and rolled out of the way. The kids kept bubbling with laughter as this war continued, much to my amusement and annoyance.

Mia had the nerve to throw some at me herself too, but clever me stuffed cookies in her ears before she could aim. It was complete and utter chaos.

After another hour of my life was wasted, my friends and I got our sweet freedom. I couldn't make up my mind whether this party was worse, or the Maid Café experience as I tried to scrub my top clean with my nails.

The Sanders gave the cheque to Erza, and the rest of bolted out of the cursed house as fast as we could—while Natsu's hair dripped with chocolate and saliva—and stopped near the turn at Almond Street. Who named streets after nuts anyway?

"Well, that was a wonderful experience, now wasn't it?" Gray said loudly, stretching his arms and extracting cherries from his T-shirt.

"I'm really sorry, I had no idea Mia would be there!" Erza apologized, and the poor thing sounded so sorry with cake on her face, we patted her back to console her.

All the people near us on the street stared at our gorgeous appearances, ogling very rudely.

"Why are they staring at Juvia and the others?" Juvia asked.

"It's me, I'm extremely famous." Gray said, and I rolled my eyes.

"What? Don't you have any work to finish, huh?" Natsu yelled at them, looking disgruntled—poor boy.

It was almost eight thirty, and we were kind of short on transport back home, but Mira asked for me; "How do we get back?"

We decided there was no other way save to take a cab again, but luckily—or unluckily, I'm not sure— the minute we reached the same pavement we had been dropped off at, the solution presented itself in a very battered way.

The same ancient cab was parked near a shop, and was illuminated by the shop lights; which made it look like the 'Phantom Taxi Since 1994', but no one had the energy to complain.

The driver was snoring inside, but when Levy and Gray reluctantly tapped on the window, he jolted up and grinned at me again.

Jabbing a thumb at his chest, he announced proudly; "I came back for you!"

"Why, how thoughtful of you!" I said sweetly, before getting in with the others, trying to ignore Mira's non-stop giggles. It seemed to take less time to race back, but I was glad to imagine my couch, just patiently waiting for me and my sodas to join it.

Erza thanked us all a million times—not like we didn't deserve it, but I didn't be a brat and mention it—and then went the opposite way from the highway with Mira, Juvia and Gray.

Levy, Natsu and I made our way to the left, and unfortunately Levy reached her house first and I ended up with Dragneel as usual. No surprises there then.

"That kid almost ate my hair off! And that Kane girl encouraged him!" Natsu muttered to me as we trotted. The sky was cloudy today, so only a few stars were visible as I gazed up at it.

"You should've dyed it." I offered, but he looked so unhappy, I sighed and shrugged it off. "Cheer up! He was just a kid." I said.

But it didn't take long for Pinky to return to his normal self. His face brightened suddenly, as if he had just remembered something, and he turned to me.

"About that boyfriend thing then; do you think I could—" Before he could finish, I gave him such a demonic glare, that he faltered.

"Go home!" I ordered.

"But my house is after yours!"

"Then run, you moron!"

It didn't take him two seconds to obey me, and make a run for it while I continued to walk. Well, I did have a very strong impression on people after all.

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**Alright, that's done then :) Oh and by the way, Wendy was about eight years old here, not more. I really hope you guys liked it, because like usual I'm very nervous about this chapter! I will be updating the next chapter as soon as possible. Please review guys, I need to know how you felt about the chapter :)**


	18. Chapter 18- Demons and Drama

**I know you guys are not happy about this late update, so I apologize more than the largest amount you can think of multiplied by that amount. I'm really sorry, so to try and make up I made this chapter slightly longer! And massive thank you to all my new reviewers, favouriters and followers- Aragaki Yui, Girl-On-Fire-Forever, StarGem16, Auraa31, HaruTENSHI and FairyTailAddict21.**

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**Chapter Eighteen- Demons and Drama**

Levy and I went over with our sodas to our usual table and joined Erza and Mira. The sunlight through the huge glass windows hit my face as I scooted further away and popped the soda can open.

It was break, and we had just received freedom from the English class, this time with Gildarts in it. Evergreen was just the Grammar teacher; though I didn't get the point of having two separate English teachers. What was wrong with tolerating one?

Gray, like normal, was up in his solitary second home as he referred to the unused clubroom on the third floor, but I decided not to join him today. I had been missing out on a lot of girl talk at the cafeteria anyway.

It was another Wednesday, but it was not raining today like the tradition I had come to follow.

Erza and I exchanged looks as Juvia walked over to us with a grumpy expression on her fair face, and she sighed heavily, plopping down on the chair beside me.

"What's wrong Juvia?" Mira asked, her fork hovering over her pasta, which looked suspiciously as if it had something alive underneath the layers of cream.

Juvia pouted as she launched into one of her million worries; "Elfman informed Juvia's class that the 'Big Cleaning' is after-school today! And all of us, except the seniors have to help. What a waste of the day!"

Everyone else at our table let out a collective groan of 'Ah!' and immediately looked gloomy; save me of course. Oh very funny, forget all about the new girl and leave her to figure out student nicknames for jobs all by herself. Huh.

"Sorry, but what exactly is this 'Big Cleaning' you're so depressed about?" I asked, putting my can down on the wooden table and raising my eyebrows at my friends.

Levy grinned and said; "Not depressed, it's just that the Big Cleaning is really boring, but we have to do it 'for the school' as Gildarts puts it. Now, it's not like I don't love our high school, but—"

"Levy?" I said gently, drumming my nails on the table. "Get to the point."

"Right, sorry Luce. Okay, Mira you explain, will you?" I sighed at the blue-haired girl with her absurd change of mind, and turned to the only sane person who would agree to any kind of explanation.

Mirajane took another bite of the mushy pasta I'd had on my first day, and said; "Yeah, every year we students have to help in 'keeping our school clean', mostly like social service, and we help in renewing old stuff, clean the clubrooms, help in the gardens, the storage rooms, and of course our classrooms too. So we call it the 'Big Cleaning', as we have to work around the school areas we all use."

She took a deep breath and then prodded her food with a frown on her face.

I blinked and then asked, "What do the janitors do?"

Erza made a face and replied; "Well, that's the best part of this," she made quotation marks in the air with her fingers and continued. "It's their day off. Though they do deserve the break of course.

I nodded, processing everything and leaned back in my chair. "So, it's basically spring cleaning?"

Juvia nodded, finally smiling; "Yes, without the spring that is."

"Okay, cool! We didn't have this at my school in Azure Town, so it's different." I said, trying to lighten the mood.

"No sane school has this Lucy, trust me." Levy said darkly, though her eyes said that she loved Crosswell anyway.

The bell for History rang, and I clapped Juvia on her back. "Cheer up!"

Before she could answer me, Mira let out a cry of horror. I looked at her and she pointed down at her pasta plate with her fork, her face disgusted.

When would my awesome foretelling stop coming true? I thought laughing, as I watched a fat, black beetle crawl its way from a string of pasta and down the plate. Really, I should teach a class.

"I knew something was wrong with the way the cream kept dancing!" Mira said finally, rushing to the washroom to wash her mouth.

The rest of us shook our heads in amusement, and walked out of the cafeteria and into the corridor for our classes.

Erza and Juvia went opposite for Geography, while Levy and I rushed into History class, where Laxus was already seated on the desk; looking happy for once. Hopefully that would save us from detention for being late, and in my case twice.

He glanced up as we stood near the doorframe, and then motioned for us to come in impatiently, as if I had interrupted a really good movie he was watching just when he got to the climax.

I went and put my bag on my seat, with Levy beside me near the window as the teacher resumed what he had been talking about.

Natsu was sitting in front of me today, and miraculously he was not asleep. But I heard a strange crunching sound, and peered around his shoulder. He was stuffing waffles into his mouth, hiding himself with the History textbook standing open on 'Egyptian Artefacts and Their Impact'.

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Either he would eat in this class, or sleep. Was this some picnic place to him?

I glanced up at the teacher again, and realized he was talking about something that involved group work, and I had missed it.

"What's he talking about?" I asked Levy, who raised her eyebrows sternly at my lack of attention. Well, blame it on Natsu's waffles!

"The charts, silly! Remember, he told us last class? All the wars and crowning of new kings in Chapter Nineteen and Twenty."

It was natural for me to forget; I liked History, but that hardly meant I listened to every single thing Laxus droned on about. I sat up straight as he barked out names of random people. At least we had to work with other people that meant all the work wouldn't be sorted out by me.

After Levy got paired up with Natsu and Cana who looked drunk for some reason, my name got barked out by the teacher.

"Eucliffe, Heartfilia and Cheney!"

Moments later Rogue and Sting were sitting on chairs turned backwards in front of me, so as to face me, and I had dug out a sheet of paper from my bag, which was not exactly the definition of neat at the moment.

Rogue and I were trying to fit in the contents of a paragraph in the table we had drawn out, when Sting exclaimed and grinned stupidly, holding up one of Natsu's treats, as he was sitting in Dragneel's place anyway.

"Hey, I found a waffle man!"

I rolled my eyes again and smiled sweetly at him; "That discovery will change the world, it will. Now be a good boy, throw it out of the window, and HELP us with the chart baboon!"

Finally, after a lot of trouble the chart was finished, but the teacher's eyes narrowed dangerously when I handed ours in. After piling some homework—how thoughtful of Laxus to do that—the bell finally rang and Levy and I made our way towards our next class.

Levy was frowning, as she said; "I can get why Natsu irritates you so much! He dropped food on the chart, and it was weird-shaped, so it looked like it had left a kiss mark when we removed it!"

I burst out laughing, and then said gleefully; "See? Listen to Lucy, and all shall be well."

Gray was strolling down the corridor, whistling tunelessly and obviously thinking about something as we went for the Math class. I stared at him, trying to capture some attention, before going and pulling his ear.

"Ow! Stop Luce, what's wrong?" he protested, whistling all thrown out of the window.

"Nothing, your ear was just begging for some pulling. Now come on, we have Math, Gray." I answered cheerfully, before going into the classroom and sitting down at the back seat.

For once, I was not looking forward to after-school, so when the bell signified it in the last period, everyone in the class sighed heavily; as if the aliens had finally declared war on the humans. Well, at least if that happened, something interesting would occur.

Gray, Levy and I noticed Erza and Gajeel near the lockers, as thirty or so students in our corridors started to file down to the grounds where Gildarts and Elfman were waiting to 'direct us to our stations' as Juvia mentioned.

Erza and I were debating randomly about whether aliens preferred broccolis or lamb chops, when something that was worse than either appeared in high heels and a short skirt.

Sometimes, I wish I could strangle the fortune-writer in the Land of Idiots and lock him up in a room full of Natsu replicas for a week—the perfect punishment that would haunt him forever.

Mia, Tori and Sadie had just joined everyone in the grounds, and I made out Bisca behind them, talking to Alzack.

"Something is definitely up I guess. She's smiling before the Big Cleaning!" Levy whispered to me.

I was about to laugh, but then Mia noticed me, and beamed amidst the crowd of students coming out. I took a second to process that, but it was true; I even pinched my arm. Amelia Kane beamed. At me. Oh, something bad was going to happen.

She strutted over to our tiny group, just as Mira and Juvia also walked near us, Mira clutching a paper that she was hastily stuffing in her bag, looking suspiciously like the 'Boyfriends for Lucy' list now changed to 'Boyfriends for Juvia'.

Mia gave another haughty and sort of triumphant smile, and then announced; "Did I mention I'm the new Prefect?"

That was why she was so happy? I mean if I had ever been made Prefect, I would've probably gone into hiding till the headmaster chose someone else. Mia the cheerleader and Mia the Prefect. Boy, I care so much about that one. And which teacher in their right mind would appoint her as one anyway?

"And I am delighted! Now what's the big news?" I said, and Gray snorted from behind. How I loved him when he displayed his detest for Mia too.

Mia actually looked bewildered, completely missing the sarcasm. "This is the big news. I am Prefect, and I get to give you detention slips anytime I want! Hah!"

I clapped a hand to my mouth, and widened my eyes in mock horror. "Oh my, I'm so scared right now! Please Your Majesty, spare me the pain!"

Levy and Mira were laughing pretty loudly now, and Erza glanced towards the vacant space at the front of the crowd to check if the teachers were saying anything yet, but apparently not as she turned back.

"Well, detention Heartfilia. For being impertinent." Mia smirked, satisfied.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Juvia and Gray protested on my behalf, but I grinned and waved them down.

"Actually, you really can't. School hours are over, we're only here to help out today, but you're currently not a Prefect now."

Mia's face took on a color that would've made Erza's hair feel ashamed, but before she could throw a tantrum or whatever it was she was planning, Gildarts's voice rang out through the part of the grounds we were in, and my friends and I turned to face him.

He made a slicing motion with his outstretched left arm, and proceeded to divide us into five lines with it I presumed.

We were to the extreme right, and he started with the others first, before finally doing an air chop and saying to us; "Group F, the grounds, the storehouses and the flower and vegetable patches."

"Gee, that's not much," Erza muttered, as all students went to their assigned places. I was still new, and I was standing there with Levy stupidly, when Mira explained again.

"We can work in pairs or groups of four, and choose the areas that we're comfortable to help out in. Which one?"

A few other people were also standing, shuffling their feet near us, and I realized whichever area I chose at the moment, would leave one more where the others would go.

"Uh, how about the storehouse behind the two trees? Like the one next to the path?"

Abruptly looking relieved, the other students marched off to the vegetable patches, while Levy shook her head at me. "I should've told you before. That storehouse is the dirtiest; most cluttered, most confined and worst one of all. Anyway, have fun!"

I blinked as my best friend raced off to work with Gajeel and Cana, and I was searching for Gray, whom I had lost in the sea of kids, but he was busy cleaning and trying to fix the cracks in a pipe running down on one side of the school building, so I decided not to disturb him.

I shrugged, and quickly tied my hair in a high ponytail, before walking to the farthest, wooden storehouse, which was in a more shady part of the school ground, but there was enough space between it and the building.

Poking a stick of wood out of the way, I crouched down—the entrance was very small—and came inside.

Levy was right; it stunk of dead rodents, and there was a very distinct, musty smell. The 'ceiling' was higher, and the place was wider, but there were dozens of huge white and brown boxes piled up in all corners, lots of rakes and gardening tools, along with rolls of old papers, string and a seemingly ancient, battered school prize, which I squinted to see was for some Sports Day interschool tournament victory.

There was a tiny window near the top of the storehouse, without any glass, so it was all open and I could see the houses on the street beside our school wall; but I had to stand on my tiptoes to do that.

At the top, there were long logs which were supporting the place like rafters, though that was not needed as balance was there anyway.

I was alone there, and I stood in the middle with my arms crossed. Alright, I had to clean out this place…but where to start? Every inch was worse than the first.

I decided to start with moving the boxes and tools, dust out where they were and stack them in a slightly neater pile.

But I needed a cloth, so I searched the place before my eyes stopped at an old, black T-shirt that may have been white once upon a time, so I bent down and tore off a fair part to use it as one.

Just as I was getting up, my elbow bumped against someone's leg, and I looked up apologetically at once, understanding someone had also decided to come help here.

"Great, we're together again," Mia said coldly, striding in and picking up whatever was left of the piece of clothing and making her way to the opposite wall of the one I had wanted to start work in.

I sighed, and rolled my eyes. There was no point in sitting here and start bickering again, because I was frankly tired of it.

She had made some vow to hate me since my first day, the reason being I liked Gray, and that I had been apparently good enough to get into the squad. So all this enmity was entirely her problem, it was not like she was affecting my life; just the occasional annoyance.

So I got down to cleaning the places where the boxes were, and I yelped in shock when a live mongoose actually poked its head out from a corner, and decided to sit on my arm.

I sneezed when the dust filled the air as I beat some old mattresses—why in the world would someone have mattresses in the school? It was as silly as keeping a doughnut on the ground, where Natsu can eat it the first chance he gets.

Mia and I worked in silence, when the dark girl suddenly shifted her position a bit, so that she was facing me only waist-up.

"Sorry I pushed you in front of the kids that other day," she mumbled, looking like all her soul would pour out of her mouth, making her shrivel up and die, if she apologized.

I could have willingly replied with reminding her of how she had not only done that little thing, but confused me with her spite on my first day, dropped paint on me—the jacket never got a chance to heal—been a little more than rude to me every time she met me, insulted my friends, tried to make me and Gray break up, and tried to act superior whenever Alice was around.

Instead, I jerked my head loftily in acknowledgment and said; "Whatever you say."

There was an awkward silence again, and I started to hum one of my favorite songs as I worked, which really made the job seem easier. I could hear the muffled voices of students on the upper floors and the grounds, and I had made the left portion of the storehouse pretty much sparkling by half an hour.

I peered out, my hands covered in dust and filth, to see some kids already taking their stuff and making their way out of the school gates, and I could see Fried's green hair in the distance as he did some weird cartwheels, before running to join the other guys.

Just as I was about to start work near the entrance, Mia shrieked all of a sudden. I took it slow; placing a few rakes is order before turning around to see what was happening, as I knew she must've found some grease spot on her million dollar skirt or something small like that.

But when she cried out; "Heartfilia, look!" I whirled around.

My breath caught in my throat, and my feet seemed to be rooted to the wooden floorboards, entwined in string which I vaguely noticed. Lying two feet from where Mia was jumping was a bent cigarette butt, and the board underneath it was slowly catching fire.

I put two and two together in a flash, and glanced up quickly at the above window. It was obvious; someone must have chucked the cigarette over the school wall, and as this storeroom was so close to it, the cigarette had somehow come in right through the window; Just my luck.

And that idiot who had thrown had not stubbed it, and Mia jumped around like a mad person, making no move to stamp on it, since she was closest.

I found my voice, my throat still dry as sandpaper; "Amelia, stamp on it! We need to stop it from spreading!"

There were crates blocking my way, or I would've done it, but I was afraid that I would knock over something that could cause more damage. Though that thought didn't take long to transform into reality.

Mia was still not acting sensible. Of course, a person could feel fear, but what was the need to panic that much instead of keeping calm and figuring out a solution? Finally, when I was about to push past the crates and the prize which had rolled over to my side and help, Mia did something that would be shortly killing us both.

She had freaked a little too much, when that one piece of wood caught fire, but amazingly enough the ones near it didn't. There wasn't much time before it did though, and when Mia pranced over a little to that direction, I thought she was finally acting properly.

But then I realized she was making a beeline for the entrance, and I yelled at her in shock; "What are you doing? Put that out, and don't move so much!"

Mia gave a weird cry of fear when I shouted, and it was then that a long, faded, grayish-blue canister toppled over as she tried to run again. My eyes wide, I slowly read the words, still coated with dirt and dust at the edges; Petrol.

It was too late. The canister was old, and the cap was askew, even if it had been there for a long time. With the huge impact that it fell, the jagged line coming down from the broken cap spilt apart as Mia and I watched, paralyzed. The liquid spilled all over Mia's shoes, seeped into the wood, and then just two tiny trickles reached the flaming board.

The flames seemed to burst out, as the they rose and fell, stretching to the back of the storage house, still away from us. The window disappeared from view, as a sheet caught fire and draped against it, while the petrol gave support to increasing flames. How would anyone see the smoke now? The fire was not yet creeping outside, but still trying to get free inside.

All those movies where the heroine cries out from a building lit on fire flashed unnecessarily in my mind, and the temperature rose up in the claustrophobic place, making the heat almost unbearable.

I kicked aside the crates, and ran to Mia, who was still standing there. I shook her violently and ordered in a tight voice; "We need to get out! If the flames reach us, then all those frail rafters can fall on us! Get moving!"

Mia looked at me once, her mouth agape. I was in no position to act like some hero and tell her to save herself first. Either she moved, or I was pulling her with me to safety, no matter how much she complained.

"Stop talking! I'm going, I'm going!" Mia said at last, and she waved her hands madly through anything near the exit, finally scrambling out. Her foot stuck near a particularly big box, which had a long chunk of fallen wood on it.

"I'll help, don't do anything!" I cried out, my voice still husky and scared. All my calm and levelness left me; for the first time I was actually and truly scared, like before Dad left Layla all those years ago.

Kane did not listen to me again—big surprise there—and she gave a back-kick so hard, that she managed to free herself, but the box gave a strange shudder, tipped to its side. The result? The box and the log of wood barricaded the 'doorway' entirely, without so much as a crack to slip my finger in.

And I lost it completely. The smoke and cinders were everywhere now, as my eyes watered terrible, and my mouth filled with the dirty air. My tied hair stuck to the nape of my neck, and my hands were numb with trying to claw my way out.

My nails were burning for some reason—I could have bent them against the floor—as I pounded on the box blocking my life, tears streaming down my face in horror. I hardly ever cried, tears had always seemed like a waste of time to me. But now I had no control over them.

"Move the wood Mia! I can't get out! Mia, help me!" I screamed in a seemingly foreign voice. Who could hear me?

And then Mia's subdued voice came back, so soft I had to push my entire body against the crate to hear; "I can't! If I go closer, the fire on the right can hurt me! I'm sorry…I have to go, I'll…I'm sorry."

She was leaving me? She was leaving me to die here? She was like a demon. There was no other curse word or anything else that I would use to define Mia, but even if it didn't sound as much, she was just acting like a merciless demon.

"Get help! Get help! Call Gray! Call Erza, anyone! Find Gildarts, Mia, please!" I screamed again, flinching in terror as a burning stick fell on my knee, burning that part so it turned red, but I couldn't even feel it. My heart drummed loudly against my ribs, the blazing heat suffocating me.

There was no answer. I remembered ironically, how I had been pretty enthusiastic about this 'Big Cleaning'. Well, I got my 'something interesting' then. The interesting thing was that I was going to die. Before I turned seventeen and before I became an author.

Shaking, I turned around instead, and gasped, my voice finally giving up and breaking. The wall to my left was the only one which did not have the terrible flames lashing out at it and the logs of rafters breaking down on them. The rest of the area was bright with the yellow flames, and I noticed a bluish flame near the mouth of the canister of petrol, now half-hidden by the black T-shirt.

Very carefully, taking deep breaths, I crawled over to the left wall, pressing myself against the wood. There were so many sounds all around, I was getting disoriented; the crackling of the fire, the tremendous booms of the boxes and wood falling, vaguely distant cries and shouts…but it was like everything was clad in a thick muffler, leaving me and the fire all alone.

"Someone help," I groaned, my hands clutching my forehead. There had to be some way to get out!

Something clicked in my brain, and I looked up at the ceiling hurriedly. A sudden remembrance of being stuck with Felix in his shack came over me, as I mouthed the words to myself; Push the wood.

I managed to get up and lifted the nearest, fire-free object, which was another humongous crate, painted white. I had to climb up to the top, and somehow or the other beat the wood up—I could escape like that.

Struggling with the heavy box, I panted as I edged towards the end of the storehouse, which had smoke covering every inch more than the fire.

"Come on!" I shouted to no one, before scrunching my eyes shut and throwing the crate near the wall with all my body strength.

I kept on building my 'ladder', and as I was about to climb it through the smoke, I heard louder shouts and screams from outside. Glancing to the window quickly, I understood that the flames had now made their way around the storehouse; people could see them at last.

"Lucy! Lucy, hang in there!" I froze, jumping out of the way as another rake caught fire and fell inches away from me. It was Gray's voice.

"I'm on this side!" I had wanted to yell back, but my voice was still broken, and all that came out was a hoarse cry that stopped abruptly.

Then I heard Gildarts's voice; "Someone hold Fullbuster! Stop those students from going near the fire!"

What was Gray doing? If he was trying to act the martyr now and save the day, he shouldn't. Why couldn't Gildarts or Elfman help?

The sooner I came out, the sooner everyone would be safe. Ignoring the terror-filled cries of Levy, perhaps Mira, Cana ordering people around and the sobs of Gray, I pushed into the smoke.

The effect was instant. I started to cough as it tried to strangle me with invisible hands, and my wrists got scathed as I felt the burning wood. I winced when possibly another 'rafter' came crashing down, and then my eyes widened as I saw the fire rising up like the tide, and there was a mild explosion near the right corner, metres away from me. A cloud of not smoke, but fire puffed up with a loud noise, and bits of wood flew in every direction.

Not paying any more attention, I scolded myself to get a grip. I was not going to sit here and cry, waiting for people to get hurt. Either I escaped, or I beat the walls with my body trying.

Right leg, left leg. Taking on a steady rhythm, I started to climb the boxes. I was not hurt anywhere else except for my hands, my left shoulder which the previous rake had cut when I didn't notice, and my one burnt knee.

But I was choking now, the smoke I was inhaling was not trying to become a friend of my lungs, and as more fire curled around anything near me, I became more scared and weak.

And then the bend between the ceiling and the wall I was propped against ripped apart bit by bit, and Natsu Dragneel's face appeared in my hazy view, his face unreadable.

He punched the wall again and again, his hand bound in a green handkerchief, and I naturally lost my balance when the crates toppled.

I was too confused and frightened to brace myself for the fall now. The next thing I knew, I was curled on the broken, dusty floor, staring up at the damaged right side of the storehouse. The ringing of maybe a fire truck filled the grounds, as Natsu opened his mouth in horror when he saw me down at his feet.

"Lucy, when did you—?"

For once, he shut up on his own, and tried to lift me in his arms, but I protested weakly, kicking feebly at him. Finally, he extended one hand, and I grasped it as he hoisted me up.

I had no more energy left to think about anything else as I closed my tired eyes, or even whose shirt I was clutching so tight; as if my life depended on it, which for once it did. I was crying and trembling against it, refusing to let go as the person took hold of my back and we were outside.

My eyes still closed, my breathing raspy, and my pathetic and shameful sobbing refusing to stop, I breathed in the sweet, clean air, appreciating it more than ever.

"Luce, we have to move," the person said gently. And I still didn't care who it was, I shook my head, my grip on the shirt so tight, now even my arms were beginning to turn numb like my wrists and searing shoulder.

I felt myself being carried to somewhere soft, and someone dabbed at my obviously ashen face with water. My tangled hair came loose as I lowered my head to wherever I was, and finally, I opened my eyes.

Levy, Erza, Mira, Juvia, Gildarts, Cana, Rogue and…Natsu were huddled around me, Levy's eyes tearful.

"I'm not dying," I grumbled croakily. I still had no idea where I was lying, but it seemed to be on something in the school grounds, as I was raised above the ground; Gildarts nodded with relief, and then walked over to a huge commotion to the other side.

"Well, you're normal now, if you can complain," Erza said at last, trying and failing to look upbeat for me. We stared at each other, before she hugged me.

"Gray?" I said once we broke apart, looking around.

I felt my right hand holding onto something, and shifting my head painfully, I followed my gaze up to see it was Natsu's light blue shirt, which was crumpled like a paper ball now, because of me.

I quickly let go and felt a weird sensation in my hand again. "Thank you, Natsu." I whispered.

He attempted to grin I suppose, but then ended up nodding a bit and biting his lip, detaching his handkerchief at the same time.

"Gray? Where's Gray? Is he hurt?" I asked again, remembering Gildarts's shouts of holding him back.

I saw Juvia running up to me too, and she looked immensely relieved to see me all in one piece. But I wasn't listening to anything else anymore, asking my one question over and over instead.

"He went out of school," Mira said at last, her fair face decorated with nail marks, like she had been digging them into her face in fear and nervousness.

"Why?" I was acting like a baby again, as uninvited tears welled up. What had happened to him? Where did he go?

"You should get some sleep Lucy," Rogue said from the side, gesturing to someone, and then following the path Gildarts had went through, disappearing from my sight.

Someone lightly pushed something along with water into my parched mouth, and my vision blurred even more, as my eyes surrendered and I fell asleep.

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**So this chapter's finally finished! I really hope it wasn't boring because it was long, and that you guys like it :) Okay, I wanted to say that my school summer vacation is almost over, and it will opening next Tuesday, and I have a lot of tests after it does, and I may update a little late, but I'll try my best to update fast! Please review guys :)**


	19. Chapter 19- Déjà Vu

**I managed to upload within this week then! This week was pretty hectic, there were loads of tests after school reopened, so I only got time to finish this chapter and upload today. Thank you so much for your support guys, along with my new reviewers, favouriters and followers- Guests, XImitatiaX, oishi-.-ME, Kira Milkovich Alberona, Devil idendity, 88XeqtionerAngel88, FairyTailFTW, kaylaanime1492901 and .**

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**Chapter Nineteen- Déjà Vu**

Fire, kidnappers, explosions, my father leaving me, Gray kissing me for the first time, Natsu's hand amidst the flames, Levy's tearful face before I closed my eyes, Gray and I in the meadow…

My eyes fluttered open as I blinked dramatically for two seconds. All my nightmares and dreams had joined into one super nightmare, and all the time that I had been sleeping, they had accomplished to take me back in time and torment me.

I felt strangely light, and my left shoulder was prickling. I turned my head down to see a long, red cut across the shoulder-blade, through the gap between what seemed like a white—frock. Disgusting; frocks were something I didn't find attractive on myself.

With a jolt, everything that had happened in the school storehouse came back to me, and I panicked at first. Where was I anyway? But then I realized I was in some sort of ward—was I in a freaking hospital? Then that meant I was wearing one of those long and flappy white gowns that patients wore.

Just as I was about to wrench myself free from the tight bedcovers of whichever bed I on and walk, Layla Heartfilia walked inside, her hands clasped together, followed by my friends.

"L-Lucy? You're alright!" Mom exclaimed in delight once she saw my face, before rushing to me and embracing me. Of course I was alright. I had hardly been hurt, just a few burns here and there; did she think I was on my deathbed or something?

Only my right arm was co-operating today, so I patted Layla's back gently, nodding. "Sure I am. Now can I go home?"

Mom detached herself from me, and then wiped her eyes and nose noisily. Then she composed herself, and shook her head sternly.

"Absolutely not! Only when the nurse allows, can we get back," she paused, and glanced at my friends standing awkwardly in the background. "I'll go talk with her, and maybe get something for you to eat?" she added.

To my own surprise, I frowned and said; "I'm not hungry, Mom. You can get something for yourself." Truth to be told, a huge part of my denial was the horrors of hospital food.

Mira and Juvia gasped loudly in unison; "Are you sick Lucy? You're really not hungry?" I rolled my eyes as Layla laughed and went out of the room, while Levy immediately settled herself beside my bed.

I tried to put a pillow behind me so that I could sit up, but Mira worriedly pushed me back. Oh, the frustration of trying to make people understand that you're not about to evaporate with the slightest movement is so hard.

I glared at her and said; "I'm completely FINE Mira!"

Moments later, I was stretching my one good arm as I leaned against the wall behind my bed.

"You guys, why aren't you at school?" I asked. I had lost track of time and day, since the curtains were drawn completely, and I didn't have a watch, not counting the one which was probably burnt to melting point.

Levy stared at me, and when I was getting kind of freaked out by her disbelieved facial expression, Juvia saved me from calling 911. Oh that's right; I'm already in the headquarters.

"It's ten at night, Luce. Juvia doesn't think she should go to school at the moment, unless she wants to clean the boys' changing room."

Now Levy and I were both staring at her with zombie-like, incredulous expressions, while Erza made a horror-struck and disgusted face; "That changing room traumatized the first Gym teacher for an entire month, remember?"

Mira nodded, giving a delicate shudder. "Not worse than Loke's locker though; I saw it once."  
Levy stopped staring and asked; "Why, what is worse than a boys' changing room?"

The white-haired girl shrugged in response; "Loke's locker's full of girl lingerie."

Welcome to my life; where everything and everyone is so ordinary, you'll be begging for something completely ridiculous like this conversation for example.

"Excuse me? Still alive and kicking!" I muttered to my friends.

Levy nodded. "We know Lucy. But you have to agree, Loke's locker—"

"Why are we discussing him again?" I interjected instead.

Erza put on a thoughtful face. "A good point." I grinned reluctantly, sinking back into the soft pillows. "If you're trying to cheer me up, it's working."

All four of them laughed, high-fived each other, and then I remembered they had said it was ten at night. Wait…ten at night?

"Uh, how long exactly did I sleep off part of my life?" I asked, not looking at them but frowning at a weirdly hard, white thing that looked like a bandage wrapped around my left hand; I hadn't noticed it before.

"Well, we started working at three-thirty, the…you were rescued from the fire around four-fifteen, you were sedated at almost quarter to five, and—"

It was very sweet of Mira to sit and give a running commentary and all on how I was brought to the hospital with bonus details of the state of my hair—which I had a bad feeling was not in a very good one—but my brain wasn't in the mood to calculate anything.

"—and that means you've been sleeping for four hours, fifteen minutes," Mira beamed. "And nine seconds if you're interested. I forgot to show you my new watch with the seconds hand, you see!"

I nodded, absent-mindedly fidgeting with the white 'bandage' using my free right hand, when Erza caught my wrist and shook her head violently.

"What do you think you're doing, Luce?" she said.

"Trying to get this thing off, it's so irritating," I grumbled, and then accidently hit Erza on the nose with my left hand as I made to shift my position.

Strangely enough, I didn't feel a thing, but Erza was clutching her nose and grimacing. Boy, I was in trouble once I got out of here; I was lucky to at least to be looking hurt, lying here in a floating gown.

"Oh, sorry!"

"Please," Erza said, her tone both amused and strange due to her compressed nose. "Don't go around hitting people with a plaster."

Ew, I had a plaster? But why? I hadn't even got burnt on that hand, or my knuckles for that matter.

"You broke your hand when you tried to punch the walls," Juvia explained, shuddering a bit.

"Broke my hand? But, I didn't even feel it!" I protested.

Then I realized that I had hardly noticed any injuries to myself while I was trapped in the fire; I had been so bent on trying to get out. Plus I had sort of gone into a numb state by the time I came out, so obviously I hadn't taken much notice of it.

"Yeah, well you did. Let's not talk about that now, so—" my redhead friend was scrambling to find another subject to talk about, but they really couldn't avoid answering all my questions for that long.

Mira had said I was rescued… I was rescued from the fire, Natsu rescued me; Natsu Dragneel rescued me. And Gray Fullbuster?

"Guys? Didn't—was Gray there? I mean where was he?" I was stammering, and getting exasperated at not being able to form my curiosity in words properly when I did.

"Luce, listen. He was there when you were—when you came out, but then he sort of, uh he sort of threw his bag down and well, went out of the school," Levy's face was scrunched up as she tried to detail everything to me, and I could see she was editing in her mind.

"Just like that?" My voice was a simple whisper, and I tried to sound indifferent.

"Lucy, he must have had some work, please can we talk about this when you're well?" Mira cried.

I stiffened. "I am well. And if I know Gray, he would never leave like that."

Levy shifted a bit, and picked up something from the ground. The blazing white light in this ward was really annoying, as it was just overhead and every time I laid back it would shine straight onto my eyes.

My attention went back to my friend, and I saw her place a medium-sized, bottle-green canvas bag on her lap. I looked at Juvia, but she was grinning slightly, and then I watched as Levy rummaged in it and extracted a long, brown book that looked like a spiral binder.

"Tell me you didn't find it in the garbage!" I commented as Levy flicked some dust and strands of cobwebs away from the sides.

"Guess what this is!" she said instead, looking up at me gleefully. Erza and Mira had their eyebrows slightly raised, and Juvia was not much help.

"Book on How to Survive a Divorce?" I dished out helpfully—much to the bookworm's annoyance.

"No, silly! Juvia and I found the old school albums of the band-club in one of the boxes!" Apparently my blank expression said it all, so she elaborated further.

"In the first storehouse; someone left three boxes outside, and when we were coming back, I was keeping them in their places, and I found it. I love the old band albums!"

That was all very interesting. Thank you for attending the show, now goodbye, please cut to the chase and tell me what I need to know.

Of course I didn't say that. My friends looked pretty enthusiastic—and all too eager to try and distract me—so I rolled my eyes, regarded the darn plaster with distaste once, and then shrugged. If they had to put a plaster, how about a better color like lilac or blue?

"You mean last year's band club, right?" Erza asked. At least she and I were on the same boat.

Levy, Juvia and Mira nodded. "I guess they named themselves 'The Metal Grasshoppers' or something." Levy informed.

There, they had finally done it. I snorted and burst into peals of laughter. Finally, I subsided as I wiped a tear away from my right eye and bit my cheek to stop and not act like a hooligan anymore.

"Excuse me, but the Metal 'Grasshoppers'? Like, seriously?" I said. Mira sniffed, swiftly brushing her hair back into a loose braid. "Grasshoppers are good musicians."

"Sure, who doesn't want musical legs?"

"Okay, I think that's enough of discussing things like Loke and grasshoppers; anyone wants to see the pictures?" Levy cut in, pouting a bit.

"Last to last year's band was all girls, and remember Cathy? The girl who used to live on lipstick? She made them name themselves 'Xoxo Pretty Lips'!" Erza remembered with a reminiscent smile.

"Ahem," I interrupted, looking pointedly at my friends. "Not that I want to, but the name got me, so let's hurry up."

We huddled around the old album—well, everyone huddled around me as I was pretty much strapped to the bed—and Levy did the honors by pulling open to the first page.

There was only one picture there, a huge one covering almost the entire page which had purple flowers printed on it as a background.

I gulped at the people; there were four, two boys and two girls. And they were what my Mom used to dub 'Pure Punk'. Only their faces were there, but that was scary enough.

The girls had their jet black hair cut in a way that made it look like they had chopped it off with gardening shears—which they probably had—along with multiple streaks of silver and purple.

Maybe they were just very fair, or the camera had been in flash mode, or they had used all the makeup available in our world, but their faces were ghastly white, and they had dark burgundy lips smirking up at the camera.

The boys were not worse, but bad enough; one was blonde, and his hair was gelled up into what looked like a hair-volcano, while the sides were egg bald. He had piercings on his nose, like Gajeel, and was definitely doing anything but smiling. The other boy looked a lot better, with dark, brown hair in a messy fashion without any streaks, and no piercings. He smiled ever so slightly, and had coffee-brown skin.

"Scratch Lucy's theory of garbage; you found this in a cemetery, right?" Erza laughed.

Juvia sighed. And she sighed in a tone which almost all girls were familiar with, and the three of us snapped up at her. "Who made you lovesick Juvia?" Madam Strauss the matchmaker asked bluntly.

"Don't you think Drew looks really good?" she muttered, with a very weird expression on her face. Did I look like that with Gray? Oh yeah, Gray…

"Why are you mimicking Juvia, Luce? Don't tell me—you too?" Mira squeaked the last part out, bringing me out of my reverie.

"Duh, no! Anyway, let's move on," I said, ending the conversation.

"That's Drew by the way!" Juvia pointed to the darker guy, the one who was comparatively saner than the others from his looks.

"Whatever, yeah." My friend glared at me, so I hastily added; "Sure, he's very uh, grasshopper like?"

I spent the next few minutes yelping and trying to dodge or block Juvia with my pillow, yelling; "Ow, I'm injured, remember? I'm injured!"

"Guys, check this out!" Erza exclaimed.

Juvia and I stopped our mini-battle, grinned sheepishly at each other, and then leaned over to see another page, almost in the middle of the album, with five pictures on it. The first three and the last one were fine, but then I saw Erza pointing to the middle one.

"Is that…is that you?" I turned to a blushing Mira trying to cover her red face as I opened my mouth in a half-laugh, half-surprise.

The picture had been taken in a sunlit clubroom, right in front of the desks and chairs. There were the four band members, with one girl clutching an electric guitar, and about six more people looking ecstatically at the camera. One of them was our now embarrassed friend, in almost the same punk clothes like the girls, with a bow holding back her hair in a seldom seen ponytail.

"Remember the last day of the finals?" Mira said at last. "We got to sing with them for the competition at the other school, so I dressed up like that to impress them."

The others slapped a hand to their foreheads, and nodded, smirking. We spent some more time going through the album, when finally Mom came in.

"They say if you're feeling alright, you can go. But dear, wouldn't it be better if you stayed here today?"

I gave a cheer, and then said; "Nope, I'm so not going sleep in a bed where millions of other people—possible old ones—have already slept."

"Since when do you hate hospitals that much?" Levy asked.

"Since now; I'm choosy that way you see." I replied, before getting free of the tight bedcover and jumping down beside Mom. Too soon though; I wobbled slightly, because my legs were stiff, and my left arm felt heavy.

Once I was done regaining balance, all of us came out of the ward. I couldn't find my boots, so I had to put on weird hospital shoes, and then my friends went ahead.

"Thanks for coming guys!" I called after them. Levy waved, and then the automatically controlled glass doors slid back as they got into a cab.

Layla talked with a nurse for some time while I sighed impatiently. These were normal cuts, honestly, what was the big deal? After a while, we came out and got into a cab too—a much better one than the Phantom Taxi.

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"I promise I'll come back before night. Yeah, I'm all fine Mom, I'll see you later!" I said, tugging at the landline phone's wire.

The line went dead and I quickly put the receiver down. It was Thursday, and it was raining hard. I had used the fire results as an excuse to bunk school for today, but the main reason was not a holiday.

I had been jumpy since I came back from the hospital, and till now. I had to talk to Gray; he had just disappeared on the day of the fire, he wasn't there when I came back, nor was there any message. He didn't reply to my rather hyper text, but I hadn't called him yet.

It seemed like I was annoying him, but I HAD been pretty impatient for almost forever. Levy—the dear friend—texted me saying Gray was not at school that day, so my bunking hadn't gone to waste.

I slowly went up the stairs, wincing when my shoulder burned a bit as it had still not healed. I put on a black top, slipped my boots on which Layla had thankfully brought back home, and grabbed an umbrella from underneath my bed.

The clock in the living room said it was three in the afternoon when I came downstairs. Sarah had come to Magnolia, and Layla went to the café with her today, even though she was pretty much in the delusion that I could accidentally drown myself in the sink or something if she left me alone again. I assured her I wouldn't.

Finally, I took a deep breath and then raised my cell phone to my eyes. Scrolling down with my thumb, I stopped at Gray's name, which had a picture of him grinning goofily at me, lounging on the school garden, assigned to the number.

I called him, and after the eleventh ring it stopped at his voicemail. I tried again, but he wouldn't pick up, and didn't ring back. Then in a snap decision, I stormed out of the front door with my umbrella.

I was jogging along the rain-washed houses and streets, glaring at anything that was living; which included a ruffled crow and a little boy sitting cross-legged on his porch.

"That's PDA people!" I scowled at two people glued together passionately near one of their house gates, and they blinked in surprise at my stupid accusation.

After fifteen minutes, I reached Gray's neighborhood. The first time I came here, it was not a reason worth remembering, and my second time seemed to be uneasy now.

This time I made a beeline for the house without having to search, and raising two fingers I rapped on the door which had the thin branch of a plant edging its way over it. No one opened it, even after I knocked and rang the doorbell a few more times.

Sighing and clutching my head in frustration, I began to walk down the path, my eyes down on a slug trying to get into a cluster of leaves.

For a spilt-second, everything went black, and I stepped back in a daze when I realized I had bumped into someone.

"Sorry, I was—Gray?" My apology was cut short as I looked up to see Gray looking down at me, wearing a dark shirt like me. My eyes went down to his right hand holding a bag of groceries while the other supported an umbrella.

He looked me up and down once, as if checking me, and then brushed past me without a word. Inserting a brass key into the door lock, he went inside and left the door ajar.

Wow, that was so incredibly dramatic. Wasn't this the part where we had some confrontation or something?

I stared at the door, before yelling; "Oy, you can't just leave me here!"

When he didn't come back, I huffed and sat down on the white, front step of his house, putting down my umbrella as a fair part of the roof was shielding me. I would wait here till night if I had to, but Gray would explain his odd behavior to me, however much evasive he was being or tried to be.

With a sudden start, I realized that this was like some replay of the first time I was in front of Gray's house; I had messed up, Natsu was in the vicinity, and Gray had been angry at me. But how did I mess up this time? I was starting to have déjà vu now.

"What are you still doing here, trying to get pneumonia?"

I hadn't heard Gray come out again, so I jumped and toppled off the step right on my bad shoulder. How convenient.

"Well, why are you…uh why are you sort of ignoring me?" That was very subtle Lucy, very subtle indeed.

I moved in under the shade of the roof again, and took a few steps towards Gray who was looking like he was trying to decide something with a lot of effort.

"Hey…" I put a tentative hand on his arm, but he stepped back and my hand slipped off. "What's wrong? What did I do?" I continued, hurt at his actions.

The rain began to pour even harder, and now drops began to roll over the roof onto me.

Suddenly, Gray motioned for me to follow him. Perplexed but relieved he was at least acknowledging me, I went after him, my umbrella slightly askew in my hand. We went around the house and in a quieter area in his garden. The rain was drenching half of me while the other half was still protected by the house. The umbrella was limp in my fingers now, but I hardly took notice.

"You—look, I was so relieved that you were safe," Gray began, his brows pressed together.

"It was horrible, not being able to do anything at that time, and then," Gray paused, his face becoming dark in a manner that I did not like on his face. "Then it was Dragneel who saved you again. And I thank him for that, but you…" he trailed off. He looked as if he had been burning to get all this out, and it was like some poison was being extracted from him.

"I what Gray?" I demanded.

"Well, you love him Lucy! If you love him that much—I mean, the way you simply clung to him—I know I'm being pretty selfish, you were…you were not in a position to think about it, but even unconsciously you love him! I don't want to share you; if you like him, then you don't have to have me stick around."

There was something very large and hard obstructing my throat. What in the world was Gray saying? I DON'T love Natsu! I never did, and I never will. He saved me; correct, but when had I ever 'unconsciously' liked him?

"Gray, listen don't say that, alright? You know that's not true, Natsu is a friend, and I'm grateful to him for saving me. But what does that have to do with us?"

He shifted his position. He didn't have his umbrella now, and we were both getting steadily wetter as I watched the rain drops cling to his smooth, raven hair.

"You don't see it Lucy, but then you do. I'm not being some sacrificing hero or whatever," he added in a warning tone before resuming; "Like I would ever do that for Dragneel. But I hate it when you love him in a way that is not like he's your friend. And as far as I'm concerned, there's no 'us' now."

And I hate tears. I hate that salty water falling down from the corner of my shocked and angry eyes down my cheeks, and mixing with the rainwater on my clothes.

"So you're breaking up with me? Just because you think I like Natsu, huh?" I asked coldly, but in a raspy voice. In the distance, I heard a loud noise like someone dropped a truckload of heavy boxes, but dismissed that unnecessary detail from my mind.

Gray shrugged, and his expression was almost as angry as my tone. "Yeah, if that's how you see it. I don't want to compete with him Luce, and if you actually loved me, then there'd be no need to even have this conversation. You can just go to him, I won't stop you."

"But I do love you, you complete idiot!" I shouted in a trance of rage. "You're being delusional; I told you I don't love him!"

"Yeah?" Gray was raising his voice too now. "And that's why you agreed to kiss him I suppose? Or how about the time when the only person you could confide in when all that Felix drama came up was him? The reason, I guess, for holding him like…like you never want to let go, Lucy?"

Those words sent pangs of pain through me, only not physically. Gray knew I had no choice for the first one, but how could he speak of the other times I spent with Natsu like that? Déjà vu…

"And the way you look at him," Gray's voice cracked, but his face showed only anger and betrayal. "I can't be with you like that. Yes, we're breaking up."

"Don't say that, please," my voice did a decrescendo and became a soft whisper. "Why can't you believe me Gray?"

He turned his head to the right, so that those deep blue eyes that never failed to mesmerize were no longer staring into my dull brown ones.

"I don't have to believe. I saw it."

Everything he said sounded so…not like Gray. I couldn't believe my ears, nor could I believe him. All my hurt and shock transformed into cold anger again.

"Fine. And you were right Gray; you're being selfish."

"Likewise."

I stopped in the middle of starting to run from there and never look back, and turned around. I was drenched so bad, I was starting to have mild shivers, and the last thing Layla or I needed was me getting sick again.

"I'm not the one leaving you without a proper reason." I retorted. I couldn't comprehend the fact that I was being this rude to Gray. It was so different, and it really seemed so unreal. Yet real it was.

"Just leave me alone, Lucy." Gray said, turning his back to me and running a hand through his hair before abruptly marching up to his front door.

Without a backwards glance, he pushed the unlocked door open, and slammed it shut behind him. I walked around the patch of green in front of the closed wooden door, and the mercilessly chilly rain washed over me while I stood there.

I didn't know how I got home, but I did. What seemed like seconds later, I found myself staring blankly at my own front door of the house, before rummaging in my pocket for the key which I blindly used to come inside.

Flinging the mostly unused umbrella in the corner—Mom would get me for that one later—I stalked into the kitchen without actually realizing it.

I roughly swung open the fridge door open anyway, took out the nearest bar of chocolate that came within my sight, and made my way up to my room. Once there, I hurriedly got a towel and rubbed my hair and myself dry, before putting on a loose T-shirt and pants that were two sizes too long for me.

Then I curled up onto my bed, and looked out of the window once. The rain had slowed a little, and there was a dull but pleasantly misty light in my room. It was almost four, so it wasn't too dark.

I grabbed the chocolate, pulled the bed-covers over me—I was feeling cold after getting an untimely rain-bath—and disappeared between them.

It was all over. And I didn't want to believe it for even a second.

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**So there's another chapter done! It wasn't very long I suppose, but even then I hope it was not boring! I'll be updating on Friday again I guess, coz that's the day along with the weekends when I truly get time to sit and write :D Please review guys and tell me whether you liked this chapter :) **


	20. Chapter 20- Troublemaker

**Hey guys, I finally updated then! Okay, just to let you know, this week was packed, and so will be next week, courtesy of my school and that's why I was late in updating. Thank you all so much for your support, and thanks to my new reviewers, followers and favouriters- Lucinda Heart, cL0v3r43VR, Dancing In Starlight, Hergienne-chii, ThatGrayFanGirl, bbtdgfan882, lalapie203 and natts101.**

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**Chapter Twenty- Troublemaker**

"Will you marry me?"

"I—of course I will!"

The school cafeteria exploded into cheers, wolf-whistling and cries of amazement, while the burning sun shone through the glass; an abrupt change of weather after yesterday's pouring rain.

My friends laughed in surprise and disbelief along with the others, as we made ourselves comfortable at our favorite table with our trays.

"Dude, you're in high school!" Sting yelled from a corner, and many shouts of encouragement to his accusation followed.

Alzack rubbed his head absently, his face red and exhilarated, as if he had just jumped down from a roller-coaster onto his feet unharmed, and then had no idea where he got the guts to try it in the first place.

Bisca's deep green hair swayed as she beamed at us, before glaring at Alzack all of a sudden. The sunlight made the tiny diamond embedded in her ring that was placed neatly on her left ring finger shimmer and glitter.

"Couldn't you propose to me somewhere more romantic? I mean, in the school Al-Al? How about some really nice place by the river, with—"

I tuned their conversation out, while majority of everyone in the cafeteria gagged at her 'Al-Al' and her now fiancée's 'Bis-Bis'.

"I still can't believe why she would agree to marry him at the age of seventeen! They're still not legal!" Levy said, resting her head on her hand that was on the table. "And it's kind of gross." she grinned.

"But it's so sweet! I mean he must really love her!" Mira squealed, and I could almost see sparkling little hearts in her blue eyes.

I hadn't cracked a single smile since yesterday—a day I sincerely wanted to forget—nor had I told my friends about what had happened. Mom had been really confused when I refused to have dinner last night, and I had locked my door so she hadn't been able to come in.

Finally, she had stopped pounding on the door and started to scold me from outside, and I didn't want to worry her too much so I said I had too much to eat at Levy's house when I went out. She wasn't convinced at all, and then I had just told her I was tired. So basically all the food I had yesterday was a soda at school and a consolation-chocolate under the bedcovers. Man, I'm full.

At least I made up for my behavior in the morning, by making her the special cocoa she really liked, and Layla cooled down. Though why she liked cocoa in this sweltering heat I had no idea. I didn't want to miss another day of school before the midterm exams, so I came today.

"Yeah well, Bisca's lucky she doesn't have too many guy friends, or Alzack would probably cancel his proposal by some stupid delusion that she loved one of them!" I ranted bitterly my voice rising in volume with each word, as I stared at my unopened plastic box with a ham and cheese sandwich inside it.

"Woah, what bit you Luce?" Juvia grinned playfully, punching me lightly in the arm.

"Nothing. I'm just reflecting upon how stupid boys can be." I said.

"Speaking of boys, Jellal asked me out guys!" Erza exclaimed suddenly, jumping in remembrance and smiling gleefully, completely oblivious to my comment.

Mira and Juvia immediately swarmed her for details, and Levy and I gave her a thumbs-up. That's good, it was time that tattoo boy asked her out, Erza had been matching her hair-color for weeks whenever Fernandes was brought up.

But my best friend didn't go to Erza at once; instead, sensing my distress she leaned over. "It's Gray, isn't it?" Levy asked quietly.

I bit down hard on my lip and my eyes stung. "Yeah. He bro—"

I was cut short in the middle of my sentence when everyone started to cheer and whistle again. We both looked up and saw Freed standing beside one of the centre tables, trying to look cool but his eyes were jumping in joy.

"Hey, where did Mira go?" Juvia wondered aloud, and I raised my eyebrows at her.

"What do you mean? She's right…there?" I was pointing weakly to where my model-friend had been sitting two minutes ago, but Erza had a knowing smile on her face.

"Do it Freed!" a boy shouted from somewhere.

"Please, no!" I caught sight of Tori shaking her head violently. When did the cafeteria become such a crowded place? And what was Freed doing? Then I realized, just as I watched a blushing Mira who was smiling broadly walk up to Freed; he was pretty taller than her so she had to face up.

"I wanted to do this for a while…" he said, ending his words by trailing off and giving it a finishing touch as Mira stood on her tiptoes and both of them connected. Was Al-Al and Bis-Bis spreading? If so, I am officially out of this place.

"I'm going to throw up!" Natsu commented. He was sitting at a small table near the dustbin with Rogue, and both boys were studiously trying to ignore Alzack and Bisca in the left and Mira and Freed in the right by examining a plant outside.

Levy, however, looked as worried for me as I felt. It was nice to know that she could understand me this well, and I squeezed her arm in gratitude. "It's alright; I'll see you in Chemistry okay? I'm going up for a while."

She looked mildly confused as she said, "Up where? There is nothing but clubrooms on the third floor."

I shrugged, picking up my can of Coke and bag from my chair. "It's quiet, and I forgot to finish my homework anyway. See you later!" That was just the teeniest of lies, but I really wanted some quiet. Wow, I never thought the day would come when I meant that.

Levy nodded, and I walked past the kissing couples, and a fighting Sting and Jet, before turning right and out. Chugging down the cold drink, I crossed the lockers, the English classroom and then proceeded up the stairs to the 'secret room'.

Once there, I threw my bag down and sat down on the floor. The room was as pretty as ever with the sunlight through the frosted glass making that golden-orange glow. I checked the window sill to see the jasmine flowers still there, but they seemed to be increased in number.

From all the time I had spent in here with…Gray, jasmine had become my favorite flowers; looking at the beautiful little things every break, and the sweet fragrance that they cast over the room, blending in with the atmosphere like a spell being created.

And my favorite colors which kept changing forever, had now stopped at deep blue—the color of HIS eyes. That idiot's eyes. Only the idiot's eyes were so much brighter, the blue getting a shade darker near the pupil, the wide, capturing way they looked at me…

My stomach growled loudly, protesting the lack of proper food since yesterday and breaking me out of my reverie. I think I had a loaf of bread without anything on it for breakfast though. I think.

"That's loud for a girl."

I had been in a pretty relaxed position; my legs were stretched across the wood and I was leaning back, supported by my hands, so I lost my balance in surprise when I heard a voice not supposed to be heard up here.

Straightening myself, I turned my head to see Rogue Cheney—did I know him well, or was he a random guy I had to do a History project with? Let me see; brooding face, enigmatic words, only one eye visible due to his hair, seldom-seen smile, a smarty-pants at everything. Yep, I know him well.

"What does being a girl have to do with it?" I asked, mock offended. Rogue was leaning casually against the doorframe, one hand in the pocket of his trousers.

He now shrugged and slowly sat down a little distance away from me; "I thought girls were more…uh dignified."

My eyes narrowed, but in a playful way. "Excuse me, but I am dignified enough." As of to contradict my words, my stomach gave another loud growl.

Rogue looked very much amused as he turned his head away. What, was he afraid that if he smiled in front of a person some horrible curse of living with flesh-eating scorpions would descend upon him? I don't think so.

"So, why are you here mister? This is my place." I said, trying to sound lofty. "Well, our place," I added in a whisper.

"Yeah actually, I was pretty sick of one of my best mates glued to your friend for a little longer than most sane people are, and frankly I don't get all this romance stuff. So I took a break."

He was still not looking at me, but staring at the broken blackboard in the front. My eyes found the jasmine to concentrate on as I said; "I get it. But do you come here often?"

We must have been looking stupid—talking to each other but facing opposite directions as we spoke. I tilted my head towards him in order to see his reactions at least.

Rogue ruffled his hair in a carefree manner and then shook his head in a weirdly casual way. "This room used to be one of the music clubs; but we didn't sing, it was all instruments. It stopped after the seniors graduated, and the new ones came in."

My eyes widened for a fraction of a second and I tore my eyes away from the jasmines completely. "Your club? This club at Crosswell? I had no idea! So, that means you play really well?"

Rogue let out a breath that sounded like the ghost of a laugh. "Yeah well, there were many talented people last year. I was the only junior, and I played the guitar."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I guess I sounded a little too blunt and rude, so I hurriedly added; "I mean it's interesting and all, but—"

"Because you asked of course." Rogue interrupted, though he didn't sound like he had meant to. But he was right, I really had asked him why he was here and about his club.

"You said 'our' place. Who else comes here?" he asked a different question now, finally turning to look at me again.

I made a non-committal sound and curled my legs back in so that I could rest my chin on them. The loose ponytail I had tied my hair back into fell over my right shoulder, tickling my knee.

"Many people I'm sure," I said lamely.

"Didn't sound like it." Rogue was beginning to annoy me a bit now. Why couldn't he ever make the meaning of his words clearer?

"I'm not in the mood to discuss it. I came here to stay by my own for a while, but you're not helping me." I replied instead, frowning slightly.

I lifted my head up, and found Rogue's eyes boring into mine like they were searching for something. Then he shifted his gaze impassively and the corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.

"I won't pester you to say anything Lucy, don't worry. In fact, I'm thinking of finding Sting now; that monkey scampered off with my Trig homework again, and I need it."

Giving a thankful look to him for getting my point without being offended, I moved my position to lean against the wall under the window. It was even better that he had not brought up the subject of the fire; pretty tactful.

Rogue stretched his arms and shoved his hands into his pockets again. He looked around the room for a few moments—probably getting reminiscent or whatever—and then turned to me once he neared the door as I watched him.

"You know, when we first started the club, it was a disaster. And our founder—Julian—he was the only guy who never gave up hope for the team. Even after all those months of problems."

I didn't say anything, but hung on to Rogue's sudden words. He gave a vague shrug and then finished; "We did win the finals in the end; we beat all the other schools. That's only 'cause Julian didn't let any wedges stop us," he lifted his head a bit. "If it's something Lucy, don't give up on it, and if it's someone…well it'll turn out better than it seems… if that's what you want."

"Do you practice the Dark Arts?" I blurted out impractically. In my defense, Rogue was freaking me out with the amount he had processed without me saying much.

His eyes twinkled. "Wish I could. I should better go find Sting then," he gave me a nod and then stalked away.

And I glared at the blackboard. He was so annoyingly mysterious! And the worst part was, I really wanted to believe what Rogue said; it was almost as if he was doing a prediction.

After a few minutes of silence in the room, the sharp sound of the bell rang through the school. I lazily took hold of my bag and then got up slowly, before heading out of the clubroom. The half-drunk Coke can toppled over and I chucked it in the dusty bin near a chair.

The schedule for today had been changed; it was usually Art after break on Friday, but Kinana who was the Chemistry teacher, wanted an extra class, so Art went to Monday last period.

I was on the first step down the stairs when I caught sight of Mia Kane standing near another and the last flight of stairs that led to the terrace behind me.

Anger boiled inside my stomach as I looked over my shoulder at her smug face, scolding two juniors near the corridor, my plastered hand placed gingerly on the banister.

I didn't care how irrational I was being, but I couldn't help feel this was all that girl's fault. She just had to call Gildarts when the fire was still at a level at which it couldn't kill me, and all this would've never happened. She would have never triggered that little delusional bomb inside Gray. Or she could have just stamped that stupid cigarette in the first place and there'd be no melodrama. Period.

And then my shoulders slumped. What was I going to do about it anyway? She was getting her way with everything no matter what I did to get back, and I was tired of this rival game.

But even though I had held in my bitterness and my illogical anger this time; Mia had not done a good job in hiding her spiteful attitude—a natural habit with her.

"So if you don't want me putting you in detention Evans and Bell, get to class immediately." She finished her lecture, her polished nails resting neatly on her hip while she spouted 'Stupid Prefect Rights' as Juvia dubbed them.

"Better detention than having you around," one of the boys said. Then they hurried off past me.

Mia was about to follow, but then she saw me and her features became dark and cold. "You know, you're such an attention-prat Heartfilia," she said abruptly. It was clear she had been debating on how to start her sentence to me.

I saw red. Marching right up to her, forgetting about the Chemistry class that had already started, I looked her in her coal-black eyes.

"You," I pushed her shoulder back towards the stairs, spitting my word out. "Have the audacity," I edged closer and closer, and judging from her face I became aware of my insane expression. "To call me an attention-prat? You left me in a FIRE you merciless demon! And all you can do to apologize," We were on the bottom step now, and Mia was cowering. "Is insulting me?"

"I had to report to Makarov yesterday! He threatened to expel me, but didn't! And you know why? That's because my father has helped him pay for school before, and because my family has a reputation! What do you think my father would say if I got ex-expelled?" she burst out when I stopped for breath.

Amelia gulped once in a pathetic way, before sneering. "Oh of course, you wouldn't know would you, daughter of Jude Heartfilia? Your dad's as good as dead."

My bag fell to the ground as I raised my right hand and slapped Kane right across the cheek. Her head turned to her right once—glad that turned out like those television shows—and I saw a pink mark like a blush on the spot my hand made contact with her dark skin. Score for Lucy! Though that turned a bit more dramatic than I would have liked.

"How…dare…you?" With astonishment I saw tears glistening in her eyes as she spoke, and I couldn't believe how petty she was being. I had punched my pillow harder than I had slapped her, and she deserved it unlike my poor pillow.

"I dare with the same amount of guts that you dared to hurt me, insult me, and sink as far as criticizing my father," I replied, seething.

All my adrenaline burned out, just as Mia somehow got back to her feet. She brushed dust off her shocking-pink short skirt and before she could do anything else, my head went down.

"Well whatever happens," I whispered. "It doesn't matter now, does it? You got what you wanted. Gray can be yours now that he's single, yes?" Rogue would kill me if he heard me saying such things after his 'hope sermon'.

"Single?" I didn't look up, but I recognized the joyful triumph in her voice.

Poor little Mia Kane—rich family, good looks, the boy she likes all available, and the only tragedy in her life; being called to the principal's office. One should really feel sorry for her.

My hand brushed over my hair as I pushed it behind my ear; I looked up again, and then with a start of realization I remembered my class had started a long time ago.

I was about to run to my class and get prepared for detention later, when I heard a huge commotion, wafting its way from the corridor down the third floor where the lockers were.

We both raced down the stairs once I retrieved my bag for the millionth time, but Mia didn't go towards the noise. Instead, she dashed off opposite to whichever class she had.

Surprisingly, I wasn't really bothered by my lateness at my current class any longer. Curious and with my mind still pounding, I walked behind a locker and peered around its side. Kinana was pretty soft with us anyway.

In the space between the line of lockers I was standing behind and another opposite, there were so many people crowded around, that I doubted that anyone was at class at all.

I joined the crowd, mingling with it so nobody noticed me and then saw three boys standing in the middle where a gap had been actually cleared out for them.

My eyes widened, as the crowd started to yell; "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

The three boys were Gray Fullbuster, Lyon Vastia and another blonde guy who I thought was Nick Thames, one of the strongest football and basketball players in our school and the fastest swimmer.

There had obviously been some provocation on somebody's part, but from the looks of it, it seemed like the victim was Gray. He had a most irritated expression on his face, and he kept trying to back out and get over with it, but Nick kept pulling him back, taunting him about some game and how he had no courage.

The only game I knew about that was connected with Gray was football. There was a club at our school, and he came to school Saturday mornings for practice; if I remember correctly, there had been a semi-final match last Tuesday.

Suddenly, I also recalled Gray telling me about the finals…tomorrow, which was another Saturday. He was so excited about it; I had hardly seen him look like that before. I couldn't even understand how he could love a game that much, considering my greatness at sports.

I looked back to the boys again, ignoring my sudden remembrance of unimportant things.

"I said leave me alone!" Gray shouted at last.

Lyon smirked, but he didn't seem like he was provoking Gray purposefully while Nick did. "Oh come on, get a cooler head Fullbuster! Or maybe you're too distracted by your little ex-girlfriend here too?"

No one noticed me thankfully, and Lyon laughed out loud. "Heh, Thames, that's not very nice!" The two blondes almost fell over each other with their laughter at a joke which was so lame that it made my introduction on the first day seem beautiful.

Everyone stood watching, when suddenly an unnatural hush fell over the place. I glanced left to see Makarov taking long strides, and by the time he reached, almost all the kids had run back to class.

"Any student out of class will be put to detention! Get back all of you, and no fights in the corridors boys! Chop, chop!"

Lyon went away, but when Makarov was not watching, Nick pushed Gray roughly before daring him to fight back with his eyes. When Gray didn't, he shrugged and disappeared from sight behind the other lockers and to class.

Gray hadn't seen me yet, and nor had the principal because I had gone back to my hiding place behind the lines. Makarov looked imperiously at Gray while I eavesdropped, clutching my bag. "I said go to class! When will you move your butt, you lazy boy?"

I couldn't see Gray, but I heard his strained and formal reply; "I had to return a book to the library sir, Elfman asked me to."

The principal didn't buy the lie of course. I was at a loss to understand why Gray was making up stuff in the first place. "Now, really?"

"Yes. I'll give you a note from him, but I need to take the book from my locker first."

I saw his finger pointing somewhere beside Makarov. Apparently the principal didn't have any more time to waste, so with a curt nod, he made his short legs carry him back to his office. But he must have seen me in his peripheral vision, since he stopped in his tracks and then walked right around and to my hidey-hole.

"And you, Heartfilia," he ordered, wagging his finger.

Acting a little smoother than Gray, I agreed with a nod at once; "I'm going right now."

Pleased and now getting really late, he went away for good. I saw him turn right from the wall, and then there was no other noise but the background buzz of students in the school.

Tentatively, I turned my head around the locker, gripping its edges so tight that even my left hand began to sweat despite the plaster.

Gray had his back to me, so I could only see the back of his blue T-shirt. As I watched him, he clutched his head once, running his hands through his hair before he suddenly made an unexpected move.

It looked like his brain had made some snap-decision—this was how well I knew him—and he swung his right arm back, his hand balled into a tight fist before heaving at the wall right across the lockers.

I heard an ear-splitting crash and the sound of glass breaking. My mouth agape, my eyes followed Gray stagger back; the crunching of glass shards could be heard under his uncertain shoes.

And then without warning a loud and irritating beeping noise started bouncing off the walls of the school. I realized it was the fire alarm, now ricocheting all around the school. Oh come on, I thought I was over and done with fire!

"Gray, what did you do?" I wasn't even aware of making a conscious decision to show myself, but I found myself standing in front of a stunned raven-haired boy anyway.

Craning my neck, I saw the scene around his arm; of course. The emergency fire alarm's glass case had been shattered by his punch, and now the red light inside it was zooming up and down while a limp hammer rested against the broken pane.

I noticed blood dripping from Gray's hand and onto the floor—no doubt a glass had got in—and I quickly came to him. I heard people thundering down the stairs, filing out onto the corridors and surely going to the grounds by the method of the fire-drills once a year that happened in every school.

I reached out for Gray's hand worriedly, but he withdrew it sharply. A black watch on his wrist dangled for a moment before falling down.

"You should get out." He muttered darkly. "Or get suspended. Your choice."

Running out of patience and glaring at him, I replied; "Come with me then. Makarov's going to come here any time."

Gray rolled his eyes, his face still hard and unreadable. "Whatever. We both know there's no fire, and it's really none of your business what I choose to do."

I was going to tug him along, when I saw Cana come running towards us. I noted the fact that about ten more students were backing her up from behind. She grabbed my arm, gestured frantically to Gray and then the three of us went around and out of the school onto the grounds again.

"You guys, what were you doing? There's a fire again, didn't you hear that alarm? I can't get how this school keeps bursting into flames every other day," Cana started to babble, once we were out in the sun.

There was a huge ruckus among the students, and lots of people were looking over at me as if I was the princess trapped in some burning storehouse again. Only one little problem; there WAS no fire.

I tapped my feet impatiently, as I searched for my friends. I couldn't see them among the bobbing heads even when I jumped up, so I was stuck with a Cana who wouldn't stop talking—and I didn't have the heart to stop—and a stony Gray who was ignoring me.

At last, all the teachers came out of the school building in a group, all of them looking positively murderous.

"I want to know," Makarov roared as everyone fell silent. "Which imbecile student pressed the fire alarm for a prank! Do you think this is a subject to play with after what just happened? There is no fire, and that kid very well knows it!"

Naturally, no one stepped forward, but a fresh torrent of muttering and discussion broke out. I saw Gray fidget with his nails, trying to stem the flow of blood from the side of his hand with his shirt. Was he going to own up at all?

When nothing happened, we were ushered back into the building by a ferocious Makarov and Gildarts. We received a good lecture from Gildarts when I went back to class along with Levy and Erza whom I had managed to find, and it wasn't until the ending of the last period that an announcement was made.

"Gray Fullbuster and Lucy Heartfilia; report to the principal's office immediately." The lone speaker on the first floor boomed, and all heads turned towards Gray who slammed his locker shut just like he had done with his door the other day and turned on his heel smartly to Makarov's little den. Once he was gone, people started to stare at me, and I tried to ignore them.

Levy and Mira were standing beside me when the announcement finished, and their eyebrows were raised. "Your face is white, Luce. What happened...you and Gray?" Mira asked, her fingers playing with her hair absentmindedly.

I opened my mouth, shut it, and then opened it again; "I—don't know. I should go to Makarov, I guess."

My friends looked confused and suspicious, but I promised hastily to explain everything later, and they agreed grudgingly.

Then I broke into a sprint, skidding across the floor as I neared Makarov's office. I pushed the door open without knocking, panting for breath. I had just realized with one of my weird brain-waves again; Saturday. And it sort of fueled me to act without thinking.

Gray was standing a little to the left, and Makarov was cut in the middle of his sentence at my sudden appearance. I had caught the end of it though—"…and there will be no need to play if I find out it's you."

"I presume you know why you are here?" he asked furiously, noticing me.

I nodded mutely, and then said; "The…alarm, right? Well, it wasn't Gray, sir—"

Trailing off, I waited with bated breath when Makarov walked around his desk and in front of me to survey me properly. Being a very good co-operative person, I bent down a bit to make it easier for him.

"I was just telling Fullbuster here, that him and you were the only ones near the alarm when I left. I understand you trying to cover for your friend Heartfilia, it is natural, but this is not something minor. Pranks like this are not allowed, especially toying with dangerous things that may send our students into panic again."

Makarov paused for breath. I didn't dare to glance at Gray as he continued; "You, of all people should know that. But I called you too, since you were also present, and though I very much believe it wasn't you due to recent circumstances, I am the principal and I need to check and re-check every single thing."

I had always been a pretty convincing liar—a handy factor—so I put it to use. "Yeah, I get that. But I assure you it wasn't him."

Makarov's eyebrows twitched. "I am beginning to lose patience now, Lucy Heartfilia. You keep saying the same thing; then who was it may I ask?"

For the first time since I came, Gray spoke. I still didn't meet his eyes, nor did I even look his way as he said, "I don't what she's talking about sir, but it was—"

"It was me; I pressed the fire-alarm sir." I said firmly, cutting Gray off. I pressed a hand to my mouth as an involuntary reaction, but quickly dropped it as Makarov's face became increasingly disbelieving. I decided I need to expand a bit more.

"Actually, a girl in the cafeteria dared me to. She was mocking me about the fire, and I got angry and tried to prove that I was not afraid. Then she challenged me to break the glass and raise the alarm, and…and I did it because of my pride. I thought it would be...daring."

I took a deep and fearful breath after my little story, and finally shifted my gaze over to Gray. His eyes were wide, and at last I saw that same concern he always had for me whenever I was worried. I saw shock and confusion in his eyes, and I saw a sign...of recognition, though of what I had no idea.

His hand was not bleeding any more, and there was a small Band-Aid on it; good, Makarov couldn't use a cut hand as proof anymore. And thoughtfully, he had stuffed the bloodstained part of his T-shirt inside the band of his jeans.

I looked back at the principal. "I'm sorry," I said softly.

He ran a weary hand over his lined face, and then said sternly; "I will not expel you; that was not my intention for him anyway," he jerked a thumb towards Gray. "But you'll be suspended from school for two days, that is Monday and Tuesday, and you will have detention for all of the next week. Besides that, are you in a club, or are you performing in any activities in the next week?"

Shaking my head, I mouthed no. The principal looked grim as he replied; "You're lucky then; you can't be deprived of anything it seems."

Sighing internally, I nodded. This was exactly what would've happened to Gray's match tomorrow if Makarov found it was him in reality, and I was glad I wasn't part of anything next week.

"Yeah I understand. It was stupid of me anyway; I shouldn't have done that," I added. My butter-polishing was rising to a higher standard.

Makarov looked a bit mollified. "Good. The both of you may go now, you're excused."

I pushed the door open again and came out without a backwards glance towards the office or principal. I had left my bag near one of the benches, and I slung it over my shoulder by bending down.

The minute I straightened up and turned around, I saw Gray standing there. He had followed me out so silently, he could have been a wisp of wind—and being subtle for a boy is a lot to compliment about may I add.

"Why exactly—?" the words escaped his lips as he furrowed his brows and frowned down at me.

I shrugged, walking to the entrance and out into the twilight. The trees had dim sunlight falling on their branches in a slanting manner, and I turned my eyes away from them to Gray's deep blue ones.

"I said it before slow-coach, didn't I? I do care about you; and this could might as well be an example that I'm not selfish. Play well tomorrow."

Gray stood there in the middle of the grounds as I turned the corner around the walls of the school before he went out of my sight.

I think we're even now.

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**I made this chapter slightly longer, but I'm not sure whether this was good or not! I hope it was though, and you guys liked it :) I'll be updating somewhere in the weekends again then, coz like I said my next week is loaded with work :D I'll try my best to update fast though. Please review and tell what you think about this chapter, I'm nervous :D**


	21. Chapter 21- Idiots

**Hey guys! Please forgive me for updating like a month later?! I'm so sorry, and again you can multiply my sorry by a million and then double it to the largest amount you can think of, and I'm even sorrier than that! I have been very, very busy actually, plus there are all these stuff cropping up at school; I didn't get much time but I managed to type this out over Saturday and Sunday :) And thanks so much to my new reviewers, favouriters and followers; Mjax76, lilangel25, ullnvrknw808, Samantta Hyuuga, Queen of Hearts, CaptainPopcorn6544, CourtneySoul, auliaa, Graluheartfullbuster, Kyto Touche, LostFran, Moka Kagamine, Narumi Jung, XDeathCloudX, xXIceMakeGrayXx, and BlackAngelJade.**

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**Chapter Twenty One- Idiots **

Take it easy; yeah, just like that. One deep breath, sitting up a little straighter and looking down at the floor. Nod and agree, nod and agree.

"So," Mom started slowly, and I concentrated on the living room floor-carpet, counting the number of loose threads in it. "So," she repeated, and I peeked up to see her glaring down at me.

"You got suspended from school, did you?" No, no Lucy! Don't worry; Moms don't kill their only daughters, just stop with that nervous smile and unstoppable fidgeting of the nails.

"And you have detention every day. You got suspended, you have detention every day of next week, and that's because you pressed the fire alarm, for a prank."

I made a almost non-committable sound, and nodded my head. I wish Mom would stop repeating everything, now I was actually feeling guilty even when I'm not supposed to! Huh, I was noble in movie language, weren't I?

"I have a good mind to ground you Lucy. Since when have you become this careless?" Finally, I raised my head to look at her face. She was leaning across the sofa while I sat cross-legged on the carpet. Way to start my Saturday morning.

Just great; Suspension, detention, and grounded. "Mom, come on! Haven't I had a punishment enough?" I clasped my hands together and batted my eyelashes.

Layla raised an eyebrow, and then answered very sweetly, "No honey, I definitely don't think you've had punishment enough," she paused and then finished in a slightly exasperated but amused tone. "But since I'm being generous today, you're not grounded."

I gave a shout of cheer and jumped onto her for a bear-hug—as a result, the coffee-table toppled over and Mom and I landed hard on the floor when she lost her balance.

"Sorry," I grinned sheepishly, and before Layla could change her mind about my punishment, I gave a quick salute and hurtled up the stairs and into my room.

"Oh that's alright; I'll re-arrange the living room all by myself!" Mom called up sarcastically.

I was already flopped down on my bed to doze off, when my phone started to ring; typical. Either it was the door or it was the phone that always ruined my Saturdays. Lazily, I dug it out from beneath my Biology book and checked to see Levy calling. Oh, no doubt she was going to question me about yesterday.

"Uh, hi." I mumbled, answering the call on the eighth ring a bit apprehensively. Levy could be scary when she wanted to, and I had honestly been evading her from Thursday. Where would I start?

"Luce, meet Erza and me near the café towards the school! And do hurry, alright? Mira's going crazy!"

Okay, that was not what I had been expecting, but I answered different anyway; "Sure, but why? Tell me Mira doesn't want us to find a boyfriend for Juvia today!"

I heard a half-amused, half-impatient laugh, before she replied; "Nope, that tragedy is still some time away. Now, come quick! Oh and wear something good!" Levy added, and the line went dead.

I looked down slowly at my oversized yellow T-shirt and denim shorts and then shrugged. This was good enough, and I was too lazy to find something better from my wardrobe which could rival a maze and win. Pulling my hair back into a braid, I went down the steps again and found Mom frowning at a magazine on the sofa.

"Can I go out for a bit, Mom? Levy just called." I asked tentatively, crossing the room to sit beside her. She nodded absentmindedly, before abruptly thrusting the magazine under my nose.

"Do you think the red one suits me better, or the pink one?" she demanded. I looked down at a catalogue full of dresses and silly women giving dieting tips—ugh, what did I do to suffer the horror of selecting dresses?

"Uh, how about the pink one?" I said, getting up hopefully to go out already. Layla thought for a while, before smiling broadly.

"I've decided. The red one it is!" I rolled my eyes; this was what she always did, she would ask me to choose something and then decide on the opposite of what I said. "Yes, you can go out for now. Oh and be back before two if you want to stay ungrounded!" she added.

I nodded and then came out of the house into the warm air. I started to jog a bit as I turned right and to the crooked little café with its forever smoking roof and windows with violet and pink flowers growing up till the sills—it always looked like some kind of magical little house in the middle of a story to me.

The deep rose roof came in my sight, and I walked closer, pushing the door open into the heavy smell of cakes and bread along with the sounds of tinkling cups and chattering people. But it was so hot today, the atmosphere inside was kind of suffocating.

I never got the point of coming to such a place early in the morning— but then, my friends were involved in this; they could be involved in launching singing slices of cheese and I wouldn't be surprised.

"Luce! Over here!" I had been examining a chocolate cut in the shape of a tree near the cakes, when I heard Erza's voice, interrupting my very much lady-like drooling.

A grinning Erza, Levy and disgruntled Mira were beckoning me from a round table near the tall, glass windows; I walked over to my friends and pushed back a chair to sit.

Why was the seat so soft? And warm? There was an annoyed hiss and yelp, before Candy leapt off the chair after I hurriedly got up, and perched herself on Levy's lap.

"Be careful who you sit on!" my best friend scolded me, glancing towards the manager to check that she hadn't seen the cat. She hadn't; she had earphones in her ears and was merrily squirting vanilla icing on a cupcake.

"Right, good piece of advice," I mumbled, sitting and turning back before continuing; "Now, why are we all wasting our Saturdays here?"

Apparently I was not the only odd one out, because Levy and Erza promptly turned expectantly towards a fidgeting Mira. I raised my eyebrows at my friend, absent-mindedly scratching my nose.

"Okay…so...I need-to-break-into-school-so-will-you-guys-please- help-me?" Mira blurted out real fast, before snatching up a discount card from the table and burying her face behind it.

"I didn't get a word." Levy stated slowly.

The eldest Strauss sister put the darn card down, took a deep breath and then said; "You guys, I need to…well I sort of have to get into school today…"

Erza put her cake down—wow, she must be getting serious to make such a huge sacrifice—and commanded; "Alright, spill."

"Yeah," Mira continued. "See; remember the fest coming up next week?" Levy and Erza nodded vigorously, while I frowned; "Which fest?" I demanded. Why didn't anyone tell me about anything at this school?

"It's on Monday; like day after," Levy explained. "Well, Mira and Juvia are going in for quiz, and there are only two teams for quiz…I think she's all worked up over something that involves that quiz thing." she turned back to Mirajane.

I worked hard to look curious—I love quizzes almost as much as I love Mia—while the 'big, big favor' question resumed.

"So, the other team is…Jet, Pete, Lyon, Rufus and Mia." I knocked Levy's coffee over and coughed pointedly—so loud that the kind-looking woman behind the glass counter glared at me not so kindly in spite of the earphones.

"And," my friend continued, ignoring my reaction while Levy tried to sop up the fallen coffee with the tablecloth edge. "I REALLY need to get the questions; it's vital, and—"

"I expected better from you Mira!" Erza and I exclaimed in shock simultaneously. But Mira held up a finger, so we waited for her to finish.

"Because technically, it's not my team that's cheating, it's theirs. The entire thing is organized by the school, right? So Prez Tora's going to be hosting it, and Mia and Rufus know him really well. Well enough to get the questions themselves, and it's not like they just want to win!" Mira added hurriedly. "There's been a bet, Makarov doesn't know about it."

"A bet?" Levy asked. She gingerly tucked the coffee-stained tablecloth somewhere in the bigger folds, and shot me an exasperated look while Candy licked the cloth. I realized it was my second time upsetting something today, and I wasn't usually that clumsy.

"Yeah; there was a bet the other day after school. Rufus claims that if they win, they get to order us around…for an entire day. And you know how those guys get!"

Before any of the others could get a word out, the only thing I said was; "I didn't even know Mia had brains for quiz to begin with."

"Sure doesn't want to miss the bet opportunity," Mira said grimly. "And I've seen her around that Tora boy; he's way too innocent not to get compelled by the demon, trust me. She's like a rubber ball; every time you try to squash her down she springs right back up with fresh demon ideas!" she ranted.

"Coming back to the point!" Levy trilled, banging her fist on the table and causing Candy to jump up.

I glanced out of the window while my friends shouted and negotiated over each other, watching the people hurry about with grocery-bags and cars zooming past the café. Three kids were playing with a half-deflated old football on the opposite pavement, and I as I watched one of them aim a kick so that the ball soared over the wall of a house, I remembered something with a start.

Had the match already started? No, it was supposed to start at ten, and it was…I checked my cell-phone and gulped; it was ten-forty five right now.

"Alright, alright, we'll help you!" Levy ended the major fight, and Mira and Erza heaved a huge sigh before briskly tucking into the cakes like nothing had happened. It seemed like the same case with Erza and her 'safe little party'. From whatever little I had heard with one ear paying attention, they were going in through the back gates, and if anyone asked anything…they were apparently going in for Saturday 'music-club practice.' That's when I remembered another thing.

"Ahem," I started softly. The three of them looked up at me, a piece of cake sticking out of Erza's mouth comically as she raised her eyebrows. I think none of these three had had any breakfast, otherwise they couldn't be tucking into all this so early.

"Uh, I forgot to mention I guess…I'm suspended, remember? I can't get into school, even if I say I belong to a non-existent music club."

There was a massive groan from Erza and Mira, while Levy tried to hide her pleasure at the prospect of ditching the 'Mission: Get Quiz Questions' with a; "Well, that's that then! If Lucy is not going, there's no one to depend on for sneaking in slyly!"

"Exact—wait a minute, what exactly do you mean Levy?" I said furiously. But even if I couldn't go, what was wrong in the rest of my friends going? Sure, Levy was pretty reluctant—okay, a lot reluctant—but if any demon was going to boss around my friend for an entire day, something definitely had to be done about it! And Juvia could help too. Speaking of which…

"Hey, where's Juvia?" I asked suddenly. Just in cue—like it happens in the movies—Erza's phone buzzed and she checked it before saying; "Juvia says she's already at the school. And…she's apparently determined to rather 'give her life than get humiliated by Mia."

The red-head made an impressed face. "Wow, that's deep." I rolled my eyes; if that was true in all cases, I should've died about four times.

But there was a sudden 'eep!' of excitement from Mira, and all of us turned to her to see her beaming at me brightly. Uh-oh; judging from her face, she just had one of her maniacal ideas, didn't she? And from the way she was looking at me, it involved me—again.

"Oh Lucy!" she sang. Oh boy, may I sing. "You're a really, really good friend, you know that right?" she said, leaning forward towards me with a hopeful face.

Nope, takes more than that to mollify me. "Cut to the chase, Mira." I said, crossing my fingers under the table.

"Okay! Now look, I have all my old props from last year's play, and my brother's coat will just about cover you completely, so that's one done. Your hair can't be dyed or anything of course," Mira mused for a moment while I could've sworn my heart missed two beats at the idea of dying my hair. "But I'm sure practically no one will notice if I use a wig! Pretty please, Luce!" she widened her eyes like an innocent Chihuahua.

I needed two minutes to process that incredibly bizarre idea, and even in that confusion I registered the fact that those two minutes as they slipped away were taking part of the match away with them. So many loose ends to tie, and I was stuck with wearing a guy's coat in the middle of summer.

But Mira and the others had helped me out so much whenever I needed it, and even though I didn't appreciate it enough, they had stayed by my side while I tried to work out all those problems in the past. It was not like they had ever neglected to listen to me or do something for me, and even if I had to break into school, it didn't matter. Heck, they broke through floorboards of a weird house in the forest full of people they had no idea about for me!

"Fine," I agreed wearily. "But I am not wearing a coat Mira! Do you want me to burn to death or something? And I don't think anyone could remember how a person's body shape is like, so I'll dress normal!" I listed my conditions, then looked impatiently at the time again. Almost eleven.

"With the exception of Loke," Levy muttered, smirking like a wee devil.

"Yeah, you wouldn't say that about yourself if you noticed half the guys in our class," Erza laughed, while my face turned into a cherry.

Five cake and coffee sessions later, it was decided; Levy and Erza would be heading straight off to school and try the Student Council's room first; Tora was its president from what I heard, while Mira and I would give me a whole new identity and meet them there.

It took about ten minutes to reach her house, and I was already boiling with the sweltering heat. I gazed jealously at a girl licking her ice-cream—oh so slowly—as we neared Mira's house and tried to ignore the thought of swimming-pools and beaches and popsicles.

"Alright," Mira announced, once we were both standing beside her bed in her room. Her mother had been taking a nap when we knocked, and she wasn't that happy to be woken up even though she was pretty nice to me.

Mira's room was a lot bigger than mine, naturally, with a deep pink floor-carpet. Her bed, under the window, was pushed up near the west wall like mine, and there was a black guitar lying beside her overloaded book-shelves and comparatively cleaner desk.

I looked back at the bed as my friend dumped three simple things on it; a hideous curly black wig, a pair of sunglasses that she dug out from under her desk, and a lip-gloss. I had managed to talk her out of the awesome idea on 'old props' on the way and reduced it to a minimum.

"Uh, what's the lip-gloss for?" I asked. Mira shrugged nonchalantly; "You didn't put anything on your lips today, I'm just trying to make you look a little better.

I groaned loudly, slapping my palm against my face. Seriously, beauty tips right now at this crucial moment? And when did I ever put any lipstick anyway? Stupid red stuff smeared on my lips!

There wasn't any time left to waste, so I quickly put on the wig. It was so scratchy and so uncomfortable, I shook it off the minute I wore it, but it came right back on when Mira did it instead. I could've roasted a chicken on my head now.

The sunglasses could be dealt with later, and I made a huge fuss over wearing it now—no one can blame me, it had cobweb strands on the rims—so Mira just swiftly made my eyes look bigger with mascara and a liner. The stuff on my lips felt weird too, and Mira even removed my earrings because they apparently didn't go with the 'hair'.

I gasped when I looked in the mirror. Artificial jet-black curls cascaded untidily down my shoulder and the bangs half-covered my left eye. My eyes looked intimidating and questioning at the same time, with the black lines around them making them even more prominent and huger than before. My lips were still fine, and thankfully the overlarge T-shirt fitted the new face perfectly.

"I don't look like anyone from school!" I protested. My friend contradicted me, however, ushering me down the stairs; "Nah, you look a lot like Madge Hunter! And don't worry; I'm sure hardly anyone you know will be there!"

* * *

"Lucy, why are you dressed up like Medusa?"

I gritted my teeth and tried to glare at Mira who was carefully ignoring me. Anyway the silly glasses were blocking my glare as well as half my vision.

Hardly anyone I know will be there. Sure; the school was PACKED with students because of the match and the fest prep, and Cana was currently staring at me impassively as she asked her question. From the looks of it, it was already half-time.

"Um…" I said wisely.

"Ah, don't worry! If you're looking for exam papers by the way, they're in the—" Cana started generously.

"No, it's okay!" I said quickly. "I'll get going then; just don't tell anyone you recognized me, alright?"

Cana agreed, and then sauntered back towards the match in her usual carefree way, hiccupping a little. Sometimes, I get the feeling she and Gildarts are related. But that can't be, I heard Gildarts was not married. I shrugged it off; it wasn't any of my business.

Mira and I looked at each other, and then nodded firmly. We were right behind the school building, outside the back gates, and we could hear the shouts and screams coming from the right. There was a separate basketball court and football 'stadium' as we called it, though it was really a huge grassy ground with people crowding around a solitary fence; the noise was coming from there now.

We silently climbed over the black gates and jumped down onto the dusty ground before picking ourselves up and walking like we were totally a part of everything happening today. We reached the building, and hurriedly raced around it and through the main entrance—we had successfully avoided anyone till now. I had wanted to come in through the main gates at first, but Mira said loads of people were there, so best to take a longer but safer route.

"Where're the others?" I asked, once we were behind the lockers in the deserted hall and I had stuffed the glasses in my shorts pocket. Mira texted one of us, and then after a few minutes I heard footsteps.

The both of us quickly tried to cram ourselves near the closest locker, but then I heard Juvia's voice; "It's Juvia and the others!"

Mira and I sighed with relief and I wondered why I had endured with the wig anyway if I was going to hide when anyone came near. Pushing that aside, I saw Juvia and Levy standing in front of us with serious faces which turned to temporary hilarity upon seeing me.

"Erza is going to Mia's classroom; I think we should split up. Luce and I can go to the Council room and you and Juvia can check out the art room." Levy said. I suddenly noticed she was still holding Candy, and the last time she brought Candy with her…

"Why's the kitten here?" I hissed furiously. Levy smiled meekly; "She refused to be left alone at home…"

"Why the art room?" Mira interjected, impatient.

"Last time all the stuff for the fest; even the quiz and the music things were there. Might as well have a go at it." The book-worm replied.

Nodding, the two of them took off and Levy and I began to walk fast to the stairs and up to the Student Council room. There was a particularly loud cheer from outside as either one of the schools goaled and I mentally sulked at not being able to come to the match.

"We couldn't go up the first time; Makarov was talking to someone near it for so long!" Levy complained as we reached the quiet, cool floor and looked up at the doors. "And anyway we're not supposed to be inside the building without special permission for practice at all, so we should better hurry—Luce?"

I was standing in the middle of the corridor, looking in through the little glass cut-out at the top of the wooden door marked 'Student Council President'.

"Tora has an entire room for himself? But...oh, he must've taken the old band-room!" Levy joined me, exclaiming out her realizations in a hushed whisper.

But that was not what had interested me; it was the people inside. I clearly saw a dirty-blonde, tall guy sitting on the desk—I recalled seeing his picture somewhere in our yearbooks so he could be Tora, and faintly, I also saw Amelia and another boy standing beside him.

There was a laugh from inside, then a mild scolding, before I noticed them heading towards us. "In the next room, now!" I ordered Levy, and scooping up Candy we rushed through the door beside.

Okay, not my best judgement so far; the minute we both came inside, I accidentally leaned back against the door, heaving, and there was a sharp click which didn't sound very encouraging considering I had never stepped into this room before. I looked around and saw that it had probably been left alone for longer than my—our—secret room up here, and the desks were older than Mira's sunglasses.

"Luce…what was that?" Levy enquired cautiously. I nervously tightened my braid under the itchy wig and then turned around to peek out of the glass cut-out first. I caught sight of Mia's elbow disappearing down the stairs, followed by a guy with almost waist-length hair.

I couldn't help myself as I started to laugh in spite of myself. He had grown his hair out so much it looked like he was a girl from behind, unlike Freed who looked way cooler when it came to his hairstyles. Levy glared at me as I said, "Did you see that other guy with Tora?"

"Rufus," Levy informed, pushing me aside to get a hand at the door. "Oh stop laughing Lucy; you look positively traumatizing with that wig." That sobered me up a little too well. Poor me, all my beauty lost in this horrible disguise.

I thought the door had been locked never to open again, but fortunately not. We examined it carefully once we managed to pry it open, and it was clear that it would fall down any moment if we lingered or messed with it too long.

The both of us slipped into the Student Council President room, and Levy started with the desk drawer while I checked the surface which was so spotlessly clean it literally sparkled.

"Ah-hah!"

I whipped around to Levy and came up beside her; there was one top drawer she had pulled out that was apparently jammed half-way through, but I could see leaflets of papers marked; CHS QUIZ, and then a bunch of random stuff which I couldn't read in the dim light of the room due to the undrawn curtains.

I tried to tug it open with both hands, coming in Levy's position; "Won't…come…out!" I grunted, sweating as I tried to pull it open.

Suddenly, I gave it a massive tug—and I fell back near the wall on my butt, with the drawer crashing a foot away. Papers, stationary, and a weird glass-ball tumbled down on the wood with loud bangs and crashes; the floor shook with the impact of the desk. Candy went out of sight under a desk in fright, hissing, and Levy had to coax her out.

"Oops." I grinned.

Levy was laughing and making exasperated sounds at the same time as she tried to pick everything up and de-demolish the place. All thanks to me of course; I know, I know, I'm proud of me too.

Finally everything was in place—or almost, since the drawer was askew and the glass-ball had shattered which I had to discard in the bin—and Levy and I hurried out of the room, clutching the questions in our hands.

Did I mention how much I hate that man in the Land of Idiots? As Levy was merrily texting the others that we were going to meet each other at the back gates again, and I was worrying that it was almost eleven fifty now, my friend abruptly pulled me back near the second flight banisters.

"What's wrong?" I asked, though I kind of knew the answer through my intuition.

She didn't say anything, but I saw the reason when I peered around a bit; the principal Makarov, chatting away to a tall man as he ascended the steps, and I began to think that if Cana saw through this stupid disguise why couldn't he? Plus it was not like we were supposed to be here in the first place.

"I have an idea…" Levy whispered excitedly all of a sudden. Without warning, she brought Candy near the mouth of the stairs, and let the tiny kitten go. "Wreak havoc!" she muttered to her.

We stifled our laughs despite the situation as we watched; Candy joyously ran up the other man's leg, and he screamed and toppled over Makarov. The principal regained balance by clutching the banisters like a life-line, but Candy had now crawled onto the man's head.

"Get this monster off me!" he shrieked, clawing at the air blindly before finding Makarov's neck for support.

Our principal turned blue when his air supply was cut off, and he tried to whack the man with his fist. I watched in fascination as the first guy made a sound you would make when you saw a tiger, and Makarov tried to shout it was just a cat; now the seemingly bored Candy ripped off part of the man's suit, pawed a bewildered Makarov's nose once, and hopped down the stairs, leaving them both in a horrified daze.

"Sweet." I mumbled.

"You should get out right now Luce, through the main entrance itself. I'll lie and say I chased my cat up here, if Makarov catches me," Levy whispered to me.

"You'll get in trouble!" I said. Levy shook her head; "Trust me I won't. Plus it's not me who's suspended…and I don't think those two will be recovering very soon."

She pointed to the two panting people at the bottom of the stairs, Makarov shouting profusely at the other man for behaving like a child, and I nodded gratefully. Giving her the remaining quiz papers, I quickly skimmed down the stairs while the two were distracted and disappeared like a whirlwind through the entrance once I was down near the lockers again.

Then with a split-second decision, I ran to my left and towards the now slightly subdued shouts of the crowd surrounding the football match instead of heading out.

I didn't care who saw me; I was going to the match though I hadn't initially planned it. And Gray wasn't knowing about it. Smiling deviously to myself, I checked my phone once again for the time and my heart sank into my boots…oh brilliant; it was a few a minutes past twelve already. The match was probably over by now.

I was right; the minute I neared the grounds, the noise became louder and louder, until I saw people practically carrying one of the teams on their shoulders. I squinted harder to see that it was our school which had won, and started to cheer myself with a broad grin on my face. Alright, I missed it. So what, at least they won!

Not having anything else to do, I decided to get back home now. I had successfully helped out Mira, hopefully got Mia in the 'loser bag' and Gray had won. And I…had an eventful morning I guess.

The sunglasses were still in my pockets, and I didn't feel like wearing them, so naturally if anyone looked close enough they would know it's me, but who cared? Makarov was perhaps still nursing his neck and cursing every cat in the world upstairs.

Bored, I began to walk out of the school and around the football grounds—the extension of the school—lazily, when I heard someone running towards me from the grounds. Instinctively I raised an arm, thinking the person was about to collide with me, but when they did not, I lowered my arm and I moved in closer near the secluded fence and bushes to avoid the sunlight falling directly on my eyes; due to my obstinacy with the glasses.

"Hey."

I looked up, and tried to shut off my surprised and somewhat uninvitingly pleased expression. Wow, he recognized me from who knows how far; some disguise Mira had given me. Resigned, I yanked the wig off, and balanced it neatly on one of the lowest jutting wires of the fence. I saw that the match ground was almost empty, with everyone near the main school area and a lone guy collecting bottles in the distance.

"Lucy?"

Still ignoring him, I concentrated on my nails as if they had sprouted very interesting little patterns. I thought we were done and we were even. Why was he talking to me, making things worse?

That rainy day was still fresh in my mind, considering it was just a day before, but now it seemed years away after I blocked it out. Now he just made it come tumbling out again. It wasn't exactly the first time someone left me; the first time it was not mine but Jude's fault. And the second time was my selfishness apparently. So why did people bother to make a commitment if they just wanted to break it off after some time anyway? It was stupid and it hurt.

"We won?" Nervous and trying to get me to talk. Oh very smooth; guess I couldn't expect anything better from him.

"I had no idea." I spoke at last, but with my usual mocking sarcasm that irked a lot of people I hated. I stole a glance, giving in to my curiosity…I felt like that day in the school assembly hall; him all mesmerizing like he woke up looking perfect. Even with a sweat-stained black and red T-shirt and weird shorts which suck even for my fashion taste. And the messy hair falling on his face. Disgusting.

"I'm sorry."

My eyes widened. I hadn't been expecting an apology, more of a 'thanks for getting suspended for me so I could play Lucy!' Trust me, I had watched enough movies to know how two people got back together again; this guy was surprising me. His words were not imploring or the tone that suggested I should talk with him, he sounded more resigned and self-ashamed if I wasn't wrong.

"Well don't be, or you'll be sorrier if you see me hanging out with Natsu ever again." I snapped rudely. Not because I wanted to, but because I didn't have the time to figure out what I wanted to say myself, or put it in words at all.

Gray's deep blue eyes filled with pain when I looked at them at last, and I noticed his left hand that was gripping the fence wires so tight I could see his nerves standing out; it must have hurt.

Irritated for no good reason and getting annoyed with the burning heat like a spoilt brat, I began to rub the mascara off with my fingers like a child. Or I think it was the mascara that was prickling near the corners of my eyes. I was thinking of leaving—there was nothing left to say—when I saw Gray take a big, determined breath.

His words came out so fast, it was almost incoherent, but I had spent a lot of time listening to that voice so I understood;

"Look, I was and I am, a completely stupid, selfish, delusional, jealous, confused, bitter, irrational, good-for-nothing, useless piece of junk, and I swear I'll never hurt you again! I swear that I will never, ever, be so harsh or so unimaginably wrong with you, and I'm so, so sorry for being the person I am! I'm sorry Lucy, and if you hate me, then you're right because I never had a proper reason for letting you go. And I do know I don't deserve you."

Gray paused for the shortest of breaths, and his voice cracked as he said the last words; "And I won't stop you or force you to talk with me if you do despise me, and I don't care if you do that either. Just...just say you forgive me, and then you can forget about me forever. I'm a jerk, and I know it. I was jealous." He repeated, as if that was the moot point all along and he had forgotten to mention it before.

I opened my mouth, but I just got one word out; "Gray…"

But he cut me off; "No, don't. Don't say you hate me now, I can't take it. It was so incredibly stupid of me, I should have thought about what I was doing! And I still... love you, I was just too jealous of Natsu and the way you were around him... and I was an insecure idiot. I'm sorry, Luce, I really am. I'm so sorry."

Gray shut his eyes very tightly for a moment, and then leaned his body face-first towards the fence. I saw his hands had become white with gripping them so tight, and his face looked like he was trying to control something very badly. Melodramatic little idiot.

And I knew now. Everything that happened; whatever had been going on in his mind.

"Over?" I said softly.

No idea how he interpreted that seemingly harmless word, but if he thought there was a double meaning—which actually there wasn't—then he answered both in an almost inaudible voice; "Yes."

Seriously, if he wasn't so cute, I would have punched him for his cheesy 'I love you' and 'I'm sorry' lines already. He was lucky he got saved from my wrath, which when it came to cheesiness on boys' parts, was a hell lot scarier than Erza's.

I was a fool to do it, since the resolve I had made for Gray was now dissipating pretty quickly, but I smiled a little and reached out my mascara-stained fingers towards Gray. His eyes were still closed, but they snapped open in shock when I grabbed hold of his T-shirt collar and pulled him towards me.

His hands left the fence—good, because his blood supply had probably been cut off already—and his face and the familiar minty breath were dangerously close when I pulled him near me; it felt cool in the hot weather. Then I crashed my lips against his, and vaguely felt his tentative hands grip the small of my back and entangle in my hair without hesitation.

My forehead was still pressed against his surprisingly cool and smooth one—considering he just came out of a heated football game—and I saw my right hand was unconsciously clutching the front of his T-shirt in a small fist when I broke away.

"I agree with you," I whispered to him. "You're a complete idiot. The hottest, cutest, sweetest, most caring, most annoying idiot in the history of idiots."

Without a word and with an almost angelic smile, Gray pulled me in to meet his lips again.

Eventful day? You bet.

* * *

**Did I mention I am very nervous about this chapter? No, I guess not :D I'm actually worried if it was too boring or dragging in any way, and I hope that the last part was good enough! And that you guys liked it :P So pleaser review and tell me whether it was good or not, or I'll soon be left with no nails since I keep biting them with tension (though part of that's this performance coming up on Wednesday for our school fest :D) I'll try and update next weekend again, or hopefully by Friday :) **


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